Montanita Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here.

Alright, let’s be straight up about this forecast. We’re in for a pretty flat and uninspiring run for the next week or so. The swell energy’s going to be weak to moderate at best, and the wind’s not doing us any favours. The opening of the outlook sees a bit of energy on the board, but the conditions are so marginal that it’s not worth paddling out. The southeast trades are messing with the surface, and the whole vibe is more about waiting than surfing.

Let’s kick things off with Wednesday the 29th. The morning at Montanita has a 4ft swell from the SW with a 14-second period, giving us moderate wave energy (680). It’s a reef-and-point break that’s exposed to that SW swell, which is bang on the optimum direction. But the wind is a cross-on from the south at 15 km/h, making it choppy and just messy. The water temp is 80°, which is a whopping 9° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s super unusual, you’ll be sweating in your wettie or just wearing boardies. Still, the surf is poor and not worth getting excited about. That afternoon stays similar with 4ft and onshore winds. Thursday and Friday drop off further to 3ft and 4ft, with the energy dipping down to the 300s. Conditions are consistently poor, with cross-on winds keeping things bumpy. So, from Wednesday to the end of the first week, it’s a write-off – save your energy.

There’s a real dry spell here. From Saturday the 1st through to Tuesday the 6th, the swell is tiny, mostly around 2ft to 2ft, and the wave energy is pitiful, falling as low as 105 on the 5th. The wind stays light but often cross-on, and the surf’s just flat or poor. It’s a proper lull, with no real options for anyone. You’re better off going for a paddle or a swim.

Now, there’s a glimmer of hope for the second week. Things start to look a bit more interesting around Thursday the 6th. The swell picks up to 2ft from the SW, but it’s the period that gets your attention – 18 seconds on the afternoon of the 6th, with energy climbing back into the 300s. This is a groundswell, and at Montanita’s reef-and-point setup, that long period could actually wrap in nicely. But the wind is still light and cross-on, so it’s marginal. The morning of Friday the 7th sees the biggest swell of the whole outlook: 4ft from the SW with a 16-second period and strong wave energy at 732. That’s the standout. The wind is light and cross-on, which isn’t perfect, but with that long, powerful period and the SW direction right on the optimum, the point could have some clean lines if the tide works out. This is the best on offer for the whole 16 days. It’s still only rated as marginal in the data, so temper your expectations, but if you’re a confident surfer, lock in Friday the 7th. The next few days after that taper off again, with swell dropping to 3ft and 2ft, and the energy fizzling out as we head into the second weekend.

There’s no other break to mention – it’s all about Montanita here. For the advanced crew, that Friday morning is your window. The rest of the time? Honestly, the wind and small swell would make this more of a kite-surfing scene than a paddle session, especially when it’s choppy and small.

Stay patient, keep an eye on that Friday, and I’ll check back in.

Rusty.

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