Playa Pantaleta Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what we’ve got for Playa Pantaleta.

Honestly, it’s a bit of a tough run for the next couple of weeks. We’re looking at a long stretch of pretty ordinary conditions, and it’s not until the very last day that things finally line up for a proper session. For most of the outlook, the swell is small, with short period windswell, and there’s a persistent cross-shore wind messing things up.

The pattern is set from Monday, 14 September. The swell is tiny, around 3 ft to 4 ft from the ENE, but the period is a short 6 seconds and it’s coming in with a cross-shore breeze that’s putting a chop on the surface. The wave energy is weak, in the 70 to 100 range (combined energy of all swells directed here is 89 on Monday morning). It’s just not doing it any favours. This same sort of setup—small, short period swell with cross-shore winds—carries right through most of the week and into the next. There are a few afternoons here and there where the wind goes light and glassy, but the waves are still very ordinary, not worth getting excited about. The 19th and 20th of September (Saturday and Sunday) offer a bit of a break—the wind swings to a light cross-offshore on the afternoon, giving clean conditions, but the waves are still just 3 ft to 4 ft and weak (combined energy of all swells directed here at 102 and 78). It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about. The water temperature is around 81°F, which is pretty normal for the time of year, so at least you won’t need a wetsuit.

The big gap in quality surf is the main story here. We’re looking at over a week of very poor conditions before we get anything that really stands out. The only real standout comes right at the very end of the forecast window. On Tuesday afternoon, 29 September, we finally get a clean glass-off. The wind goes calm (0 mph) and the conditions turn glassy. The swell is still only 4 ft from the ENE with a 7-second period (combined energy of all swells directed here is 152), but with no wind and a clean surface, that’s your best chance. For a break like Playa Pantaleta, which is a beach and reef setup, the longer period would be better, but that calm wind is a major positive. The swell direction from ENE is also matching the optimum direction for this spot, which is from NNE, so it’s close enough to be okay. This is the session to keep an eye on. Just be aware that this is a long-range call, so while it looks promising, don’t set your watch by it yet.

Keep your hopes up, but don’t expect much until that last Tuesday.

Rusty

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