Montanita Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you—this stretch ain't firing. We've got a 16-day window looking out from the start of July, and for the first two weeks, it's pretty slim pickings. The whole run has a big gap of flat, mushy, or wind-affected days where you’ll be better off doing something else. The only real movement worth paddling for doesn’t show up until the very end of the forecast.

We kick off with Montanita, a reef and point setup that takes a solid southwest swell to get going. Through the first week, the swell is small, dropping from 4ft down to 2ft, and the wind is mostly a cross-onshore breeze from the SSW. It’s enough to mess up the face, leaving things choppy and poor. The combined energy is weak to moderate, with values like 807 (moderate) on the first Tuesday morning, but it quickly fades into the low hundreds. Water temp is sitting at 79°, which is 8° warmer than normal—very unusual, like a warm bath for this time of year. Don’t hold your breath for a decent wave.

From the 8th of July through to the 19th of July, it’s a long stretch of poor or marginal conditions. Swell heights hover between 1ft and 4ft, but the wind is relentless from the south or southwest, cross-onshore, and the periods are hanging around 12 to 16 seconds. That long period with a cross-onshore breeze and small swell means the waves are weak, wobbly, and lacking any punch. Combined energy drops well under 500, often sitting in the low 100s—weak stuff. The crowds at Montanita are often there, but honestly, it won’t be busy because there’s nothing to ride.

Now, the one bright spot—if you can wait—shows up on the morning of Monday the 21st of July. There’s a jump in swell to 4ft from the SW, with a 14-second period and combined energy hitting 1141 (strong). The wind is light cross-onshore from the SW at 6 mph, which isn’t perfect but gives the wave a bit of shape. This is the best of the bunch: solid groundswell, decent size for advanced surfers, and that long period means more energy and longer waits between sets. It’s a reef and point, so the long period will wrap in nicely. The Tuesday morning also holds at 4ft. After that, it fades again into the 4ft range on the 22nd.

So, the standout is that Monday the 21st. It’s still marginal due to the wind, but it’s the only time the energy and size come together. The rest? A blank run of nearly two weeks with hardly a wave to your name. For an exposed spot like Montanita, this stretch is lean. But things can change quick around here—keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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