Playa Santa Teresa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, boys and girls, Rusty here. Let’s talk about Playa Santa Teresa.

We’ve got a good run of waves coming, but the absolute best is this Saturday morning, August 15. We’re looking at a clean 5 ft SW groundswell with a long 16-second period, and a light offshore breeze from the NNE at 6 mph. The wave energy is pumping strong at (1004). The water is sitting at 87°, which is way warmer than usual for this time of year – you’ll be sweating in your wetsuit (if you even wear one). This is the one to go for, no doubt. Playa Santa Teresa is exposed, and the swell direction lines up with the optimum WNW groundswell. For anyone with a bit of experience, this is your session.

Sunday morning, August 16, is another cracker. The swell drops a bit to 4 ft from the SW, still a long 15-second period, and the wind goes glassy – dead calm, 3 mph from the NNE. It’ll be glassy, clean, and smooth. Wave energy is still strong at (699). A little smaller than Saturday, but the conditions are just as good for a long, wave-filled session.

Monday morning, August 17, stays clean with a 4 ft SW swell, 14-second period, and a light offshore NE breeze. Energy drops to moderate (428), but it’s still a fun, clean morning.

From Tuesday through the end of the week, things get smaller and less consistent. We get a few glassy mornings with 3 ft to 2 ft SW swell, but the energy drops off a lot. By Thursday the 20th, the morning has a 4 ft SW swell but with a short 9-second period, and while it’s glassy, the quality is just okay. The afternoons are mostly a mess with onshore winds.

There’s a long gap of flat, small, and poor-quality surf from the afternoon of Thursday 20th right through the end of the week. A few mornings are glassy but the swell is tiny – 1 ft to 2 ft – and the energy is weak (56 to 105). It’s surfable but nothing to write home about.

Then we get a little bump. On Sunday morning, August 23, a very long-period SW groundswell (19 seconds) arrives with 2 ft swell, but it’s clean with a light offshore breeze. Wave energy jumps to moderate (304). That long period means it’ll be better for points and reefs, but at this size it’s a longboard kind of deal. Monday the 24th is similar, glassy with 2 ft, 18-second swell. Clean but not powerful.

The end of the outlook picks up again. On Saturday, August 29, the morning looks promising: 3 ft SW swell, 14-second period, with a light cross-offshore E breeze. Wave energy is strong (589). Sunday the 30th looks even better with 3 ft SW swell, 15-second period, and clean conditions. The energy is up (714) and it’s pointing to a good weekend for the second week.

If you’re a beginner, the bigger days (over 5 ft) and the long period might be a bit tricky, but the glassy mornings with smaller swell (under 3 ft) are perfect. Crowds are possible at Santa Teresa, especially on the weekend mornings.

So, the first weekend (August 15-16) is the standout. The second weekend (August 29-30) is promising but less certain – keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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