Playa Santa Teresa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

We’ve got a solid run of surf shaping up for Playa Santa Teresa. The water is sitting at 87°F, which is *much warmer* than normal for this time of year – a real treat if you’re going in without a spring suit.

The best window kicks off on Thursday the 20th of August with a clean morning. Swell is coming from the SSW at 3ft with a 10-second period, and a light ENE offshore breeze keeps things tidy. The combined energy is moderate (296), so there’s some push but nothing too crazy for a beginner-friendly spot like this. Expect a few shoulders to work with.

Friday the 21st of August is the standout early on. Morning glass with a NNE breeze at just 3 mph, and the swell bumps up to 4ft from the SSW with a period of 11 seconds. Energy is solid at 434 – that’s a noticeable step up. The offshore wind direction is perfect for Santa Teresa, and the consistency is good. This is the morning to get in the water.

Saturday the 22nd drops right off: 2ft swell with a long 14-second period, but energy is weak at 102. The morning is glassy from the north, so you’ll be scratching for knee-high runners. Not much to write home about.

There’s a lull through the middle of the week. Sunday the 23rd through Wednesday the 27th of August sees tiny swell, mostly under 2ft, with a mix of light offshores and glassy mornings. The energy stays low, between 95 and 304. It’s a good time to work on your pop-up or fix a ding, but don’t expect drive.

We start to see a pulse building again on Friday the 28th of August. Swell jumps to 3ft from the SW, and the period stretches to 19 seconds – that’s proper groundswell. Energy is back up to 680, but the wind is a bit cross-shore in the morning, so it’s not firing on all cylinders.

Then we get the real standout of the whole forecast. Saturday the 29th of August morning: 5ft of SW groundswell with a 16-second period, and a light 3 mph cross-offshore from the east. The energy is pumping at 1331 – strong. This is for experienced surfers, as the size and power will test you. Plenty of juice, and the wind keeps it clean. If you’re a confident surfer, this is the session to aim for.

Sunday the 30th holds a drop to 5ft, still with a 15-second period. Morning has a light cross-off from the east again, energy at 899 – still very good. The afternoon gets a bit messy with a cross-onshore, so get in early.

Monday the 31st of August and Tuesday the 1st of September settle back to 4ft and 3ft respectively, with glassy or calm conditions each morning. The energy stays moderate at 443 and 457. Good for a beginner or a laid-back session.

Wednesday the 2nd of September morning is glassy again with 3ft from the SSW, but the energy is moderate at 473. The afternoon picks up a longer period but turns onshore.

Thursday the 3rd of September is a promising long-range call. Morning glass from the ENE, 3ft of SW groundswell with an 18-second period, and energy at 750. That’s a nice setup if the forecast holds.

Friday the 4th of September ends the run with a glassy morning, 4ft from the SW at 16 seconds, energy at 685. Another solid option for the dedicated.

Overall, the best bet is Saturday the 29th of August morning for experienced surfers. For everyone else, Friday the 21st of August morning or Thursday the 3rd of September morning are your clean, manageable windows.

Rusty.

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