Playa Santa Teresa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk waves. This is Rusty, and I’m looking at the same stretch of coast.

We’ve got a solid run of surf coming up at Playa Santa Teresa. The next couple of weeks are looking promising, with a really nice pulse of long-period, groundswell energy rolling in from the southwest. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The standout session is hands down Sunday morning, July 26th. We’re looking at a clean 4 ft swell from the southwest, with a very long 19-second period. That’s proper groundswell. The wind is light offshore from the northeast, just 3 mph, which is going to leave the surface silky. The combined energy is sitting at a solid 849 (moderate wave energy), but the quality of that wave is what’s got me excited. Expect very good surf conditions. This is a glassy, clean morning for the experienced crew. The long period means the waves will be well-shaped with plenty of push, and the gaps between sets will make paddling out a breeze. The only thing to watch for is that a long-period swell on a beach break can sometimes straighten out, but with the direction and wind, it should be holding nice lines.

The energy builds into the next week. Monday morning, July 27th is another gem. The swell drops a touch to 3 ft, but it’s still from the SW with a 19-second period, and the wind is again offshore from the NE at 3 mph. The combined energy jumps to 1182 (moderate wave energy), and it’s described as excellent surf for experienced surfers. Clean conditions again.

Tuesday morning, July 28th sees the swell size bump up to 4 ft, still from the SW, with a 17-second period. The wind is cross-offshore from the ENE at 3 mph, keeping things clean. The energy is now 1279 (moderate wave energy). Excellent conditions for the experienced surfer, but the size is starting to push it a bit for beginners.

Wednesday morning, July 29th is a special one. The swell is 5 ft from the SW, 16-second period, and the wind is glassy. Completely calm. The combined energy is 992 (moderate wave energy). Expect very good surf conditions. It doesn’t get much cleaner than that.

Thursday morning, July 30th the swell drops to 4 ft, but still a solid 14-second period. The wind is glassy from the ENE at 3 mph. The energy is 529 (moderate). Very good surf conditions again.

After that, the swell starts to ease off through the end of July and into early August. Mornings remain the best bet, with clean conditions and offshore winds, but the size drops. We’ve got a few days of 3 ft to 2 ft swell, with periods dropping to 12-13 seconds. The energy falls into the 200-300 range (weak to moderate). The consistency is still there, but the punch is gone.

Sunday morning, August 2nd is a glassy, 2 ft swell from the SW with a 15-second period. Good for a longboard or a fun log.

Monday morning, August 3rd is totally glassy, zero wind, with a 3 ft, 13-second SW swell. The energy is 340 (moderate). Good conditions for a small-wave session.

Into the second week, the models are showing a bit of a lull, but then a new pulse of SSW swell arrives around Thursday, August 6th and Friday, August 7th. The swell is 3 ft to 3 ft, with a 14-15 second period, and the mornings are glassy or with light offshore winds. The energy is back up to 294-311 (weak to moderate). It’s worth keeping an eye on, but it’s less certain out that far.

The best windows are definitely the mornings. The afternoons are a write-off. The wind swings onshore from the SW, and it gets messy. A few afternoons have a risk of thunderstorms and poor, choppy conditions.

Best on offer: Sunday morning July 26th is the top pick. Clean, long-period, offshore wind, and a solid 4 ft. Wednesday morning July 29th is a close second with that glassy surface and 5 ft.

Crowds: Playa Santa Teresa is a consistent spot, and crowds are “sometimes” present. On the best mornings, expect a few other guys out, but it’s not a zoo.

Bottom line: This is a proper run of groundswell for the area. The first week is the money. The second week has a few smaller, cleaner windows but nothing that will blow your hair back. Get on it early.

Rusty.

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