Montoya Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's have a look at the surf outlook for Montoya. It's a beach and point break, and it's fairly consistent, but mate, it's a grim run for the next couple of weeks.

The water temperature is about average for the time of year, nothing wild going on there, but I wouldn't be worrying about that with the mess we've got coming.

Right off the bat, from Wednesday the 12th of August through to Tuesday the 26th of August, it's a poor stretch. There's surf on the cards, but the conditions are just wrecked. The wind is constantly cross-on or onshore, making everything choppy, lumpy, or messy. The wave comment for every single session in that first week is "poor surf conditions." The swell energy sits between moderate and strong, ranging from 185 to 858 in the combined energy reading, but it doesn't matter when the wind's blowing the guts out of it.

We do get a little glimpse of something better on Sunday morning, the 16th of August. The wind swings north-northeast at a light 3 mph, going cross-offshore, giving us clean conditions. The wave height is a small 4 ft from the east, with an 8-second period. The combined swell energy is only 185 (weak), and the wave comment says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." It's the best of a bad lot, but honestly, it's nothing to get excited about. It's that short period, so the waves will be a bit crumbly and hard to line up.

Then we hit a tough patch. From the 19th of August, the swell builds. The morning of the 19th sees 8 ft from the southeast, but the wind is howling onshore at 22 mph, making it lumpy. By the afternoon, it's 8 ft from the southeast with 28 mph cross-on winds, creating messy, strong conditions. This is only for experts, and even then, it's a battle.

Thursday morning, the 20th of August, finally delivers some clean conditions. The wind goes offshore from the west-northwest at 28 mph (strong breeze). The wave height is a solid 7 ft from the south-southeast, with a 10-second period. The combined swell energy is 858 (moderate). The wave comment says "marginal." Here's the problem: that offshore wind is so strong, it will be incredibly hard to paddle into the waves, and it's a beach and point setup, so the conditions will be howling and tough. It's too big and too windy for a fun, relaxing surf.

Forget kite surfing here, the wind is mostly cross or onshore, not consistent for that either.

By the 22nd of August, the swell drops right off, with energy reading as low as 18 and 42. The rest of the month is a write-off, with poor conditions right through to the 27th.

That Sunday morning the 16th of August is the standout, but it's a tiny window of clean, small conditions. Thursday morning the 20th of August is the biggest, cleanest looking swell, but that wind is a beast. Promising, but less certain for a good wave.

Rusty.

Read more