
Surf Forecasts:
San Mateo surf forecast from 31 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 2 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 15s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 7 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 17s period, SW swell with 427 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 2 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 15s period with WSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for San Mateo this week:
The surf forecast for San Mateo over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 02) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at San Mateo in the next 16 days are 0.8m 17s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 07) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 6s period and expected on Friday (Jul 31) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (-05) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Fri 7th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for San Mateo over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.
To be straight with you, the opening stretch is a tough one. We’ve got a solid swell coming in from the SW, but the wind is a real problem. Thursday afternoon the 30th of July has a 4ft SW swell at 13 seconds, but the wind is howling out of the SW at 16 mph, turning it into a messy, choppy cross-shore mess. The water is a toasty 81°, which is a massive 9° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s very unusual, but it’s about the only thing that’s nice about it. The combined energy is moderate (417), but it’s all for nothing with that wind. It’s a no-go.
Friday, the 31st, is more of the same. A 3ft swell, but the wind stays on it, making for poor conditions. The weekend follows with a drop in size – 2ft Saturday morning, 2ft Sunday morning – and while the wind eases a little, the surf is marginal at best. The energy drops to moderate (215-302). It’s not surfable in any meaningful way.
We then have a few days of very small, poor surf. Monday the 3rd and Tuesday the 4th are tiny, with the swell dropping to 2ft and weak energy (82). The afternoons are a write-off with strong cross-onshore wind.
Wednesday morning, the 5th of August, offers a tiny glimmer of hope. The swell is only 2ft from the SW, but the wind goes glassy. The S wind is a mere 3 mph, making it almost dead calm. The combined energy is weak (119), so it’s not a wave you’ll be riding, but it’s the first time the water looks clean. The cross-on shore kicks in again by the afternoon.
The following week sees a slight uptick in swell energy. Thursday morning the 6th of August has a 3ft SW swell (13 seconds) with a light cross-shore wind, bringing the energy up to moderate (472). It’s still rated as marginal, but it’s a step up.
Now, keep an eye on Friday morning, the 7th of August. The swell is 3ft, but the period stretches to a very long 16 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell. The energy is strong (572). The wind is light and cross-shore. This is a promising window for a point break, but the long period will make it break a bit straight at the beach. The afternoon is ruined by onshore winds, but that morning has potential.
The real stand-out, the one that gets my blood pumping, is Wednesday morning, the 12th of August. The swell is 3ft but the period is an incredible 17 seconds. The combined energy is strong (567). The wind is a light, cross-onshore breeze from the WSW at 6 mph. This is a very long-period groundswell. For a point break like San Mateo, this is the best of the forecast. The water will be clean, the waves will have shape, and the long gaps between sets will make paddling out a breeze. This is the one to circle on the calendar. The afternoon the same day has a 2ft wave with an 18-second period, but a stronger cross-onshore wind will mess it up.
The rest of the second week is mostly small and marginal. There are a few mornings with light winds and 2ft-3ft swell, but nothing that compares to that Wednesday morning. The 13th and 14th have some 16-second period energy, but the wind is never quite clean enough to make it a standout.
Overall, it’s a slow start. The first 7 days are a write-off. The best bet is the Wednesday the 12th of August. It’s a long way off, so don’t book the day off just yet, but keep an eye on it. The swell at San Mateo is coming from the SW, which is slightly off the optimum NW direction, but with that period and that light wind, it’s still the best of a quiet bunch.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Thu afternoon, min 24°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Warm (max 27°C on Mon morning, min 24°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 15 | WSW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 10 | SW 13 | SW 10 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
386 | 320 | 305 | 315 | 207 | 137 | 132 | 114 | 142 | 164 | 144 | 140 | 134 | 139 | 72 | 69 | 47 | 95 | 92 | 160 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 4:25PM2.31m | 4:58AM2.44m | 5:01PM2.35m | 5:31AM2.49m | 5:37PM2.35m | 6:03AM2.51m | 6:13PM2.32m | 6:36AM2.50m | 6:52PM2.27m | 7:12AM2.46m | 7:35PM2.20m | 7:53AM2.39m | 8:24PM2.12m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:39PM0.29m | 11:03AM0.52m | 11:13PM0.28m | 11:38AM0.48m | 11:46PM0.31m | 12:14PM0.46m | 00:20AM0.37m | 12:50PM0.45m | 00:56AM0.44m | 1:30PM0.47m | 1:36AM0.54m | 2:16PM0.50m | 2:25AM0.64m | |||||||
— | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | |
6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 25 |
Feels °C | 27 | 26 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 29 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 26 | 24 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 29 | 27 | 27 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 7 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 14 |
386 | 320 | 305 | 315 | 207 | 137 | 105 | 114 | 130 | 164 | 144 | 140 | 134 | 78 | 72 | 69 | 47 | 95 | 92 | 160 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 12 | NW 12 | NW 11 | WNW 11 | WSW 17 | SW 16 | SW 12 | SW 15 | WSW 15 | SW 11 | SW 10 | WNW 12 | SW 10 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | SW 15 | SW 14 | WNW 9 | SSW 15 | SSW 8 |
6 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 29 | 66 | 132 | 109 | 142 | 73 | 69 | 13 | 47 | 11 | 10 | 34 | 47 | 9 | 22 | 41 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 8 | — | SW 18 | SW 18 | WNW 10 | WNW 11 | WSW 16 | WNW 11 | NW 11 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | SSW 16 | WNW 11 | SSW 12 | S 12 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | SW 20 | SW 20 | SW 11 |
3 | — | 13 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 100 | 23 | 30 | 26 | 11 | 25 | 13 | 14 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 15 | 16 | 42 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | SSW 5 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 7 | — | SW 7 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | SW 10 | SSW 6 | SW 10 | SSW 9 | SSW 7 | SW 8 | SSW 8 | SW 8 | — |
22 | 23 | 46 | 82 | 54 | 108 | — | 77 | 66 | 70 | 68 | 139 | 54 | 139 | 96 | 68 | 62 | 42 | 65 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 912 | 7 | 102 | 916 | 185 | 7 | 815 | 230 | 7 | 912 | 138 | 7 | 1077 | 111 | 53 | 1077 | 111 | 0 | 912 | 141 |
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Information about the San Mateo Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for San Mateo provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at San Mateo can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our San Mateo surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (San Mateo) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for San Mateo may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Are you planning a holiday in Manabi? If you are looking for accommodation near San Mateo, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Manabi, consider staying in Manta which is 11 km (7 miles) away. Other places in and around Manabi where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Montecristi which is 21 km (13 miles) away, Portoviejo, Jipijapa and Sucre.











