Montanita Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what the ocean has in store for us at Montanita over the next couple of weeks.

The long-range picture is a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest. We’ve got a persistent, moderate-sized, long-period SW groundswell running through most of the period, but the wind is the real story—and not a great one. We’re looking at a string of days with cross-onshore or onshore breezes that are going to keep things pretty chopped up. The water is a remarkable 79°, which is a whopping 9° warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a real treat, but you’ll be fighting the texture more than the size.

The first recommendation doesn't come until Friday the 28th of August. Friday morning we’ve got a small 3ft swell (607 weak-to-moderate combined energy) from the WSW with a very long 18-second period, but that cross-onshore wind from the SSW at 15 km/h is going to put a crinkle on it. It’s not a write-off, but it’s marginal. The afternoon sees the swell bump up to 4ft but the wind stays onshore.

Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th are more of the same story: the swell sticks around 4ft to 5ft from the WSW, with long periods (13-15 seconds), but the wind just won’t cooperate. It’s cross-onshore most of the time. There’s a brief window Sunday afternoon with clear skies and onshore wind, but it’s still not clean.

We hit a bit of a lull in quality from Monday the 31st through the middle of the first week of September. Swell drops to 2ft to 3ft and the conditions are rated as poor or marginal. The energy dips into the low hundreds. It’s a frustrating stretch where the ocean looks better on paper than it does in the water.

Now, looking ahead, there are two spots that stand out as the best we’re likely to see. First, keep an eye on Friday the 4th of September. We get a solid 5ft swell from the SW, with a good 16-second period and combined energy around 1060 (moderate energy). It’s still a cross-onshore morning, but the wind is only 15 km/h and the size is there. That’s the pick of the first week for those willing to battle a bit of chop for some punch.

The other standout is further out, and a bit more of a gamble. Tuesday the 8th and Wednesday the 9th of September show a return of 4ft to 4ft swell, again from the SW with 16-17 second period. The combined energy for Tuesday afternoon hits 950 (moderate energy). The wind is lighter—light breezes—and Wednesday afternoon even has clear skies and onshore wind. This is a promising, long-period groundswell, and at a reef and point break like Montanita, that long period means better shaped, more powerful waves and longer lulls between sets. It’s not a guarantee this far out, but it has the potential to be the cleanest, most lined-up swell of the entire outlook. Remember that a long period swell like this can break a bit too straight on a beach break, but here at a point, it’s ideal.

For the most part, though, the crowds at Montanita are "often" an issue, so don’t expect a quiet lineup during these better windows. This stretch is for the dedicated surfer who doesn’t mind a bit of wind or a wait for the set.

- Rusty

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