San Mateo Surf Break

Lat Long: 0.95° S 80.83° W

San Mateo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 6 pm 21 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's San Mateo sea temperature is
26.4° C
4.2° 

San Mateo surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


San Mateo surf forecast from 22 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 23 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 19s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 16s period, SW swell with 1,330 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 23 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 19s period with SW 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 23) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 19s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 13s. Another secondary swell of 0.7m and 5s is also forecast. 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 1.6m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 7PM.

Wave TypeTime (-05) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 4AM (Sun 23rd Aug)1.5ft (0.4m) 19s
Best Surf 4AM (Sun 23rd Aug)1.5ft (0.4m) 19s
Most Powerful 1AM (Sat 29th Aug)5ft (1.6m) 16s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for San Mateo over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

G’day, Rusty here, lookin’ over the San Mateo forecast. Honestly, this stretch of coast is copping a bit of a rough trot for the next couple of weeks. The water is a whopping 80°F, which is much warmer than normal for the time of year – feels like summer’s stuck on repeat. But the swell? It’s nearly all coming from the southwest, which is cross to cross-on for this break. Most of the time the wind is on it, chopping everything up. Let’s dive into the details.

The outlook starts on Friday, August 21st, but honestly, it’s a write-off. We’ve got a tiny 1ft southwest swell with a 14-second period – that’s a long period for such a small wave – and cross-on wind. The combined energy is a weak 74, and it’s just poor out there. Saturday and Sunday aren’t much better; we’re stuck on 2ft to 2ft with cross-shore or cross-on breezes, and the energy creeps up to moderate levels (around 203 to 284) but the quality is still rotten. The first real glimmer doesn’t show up until Monday, August 24th, morning. It’s still small (2ft), but for a couple of morning slots, we get a “marginal” tag with a gentle cross-shore breeze. That’s about the closest we get to clean, but it’s tiny and inconsistent. The whole first week is a slog of poor surf with only a couple of barely-rideable mornings.

Now, the second week has a bit more size. Starting Friday, August 28th morning, we see 3ft from the southwest, period 18 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 756 – moderate to strong. The wind is light cross-onshore, which is still messy, but the size is there. It gets better on Saturday, August 29th, with 5ft, but the cross-shore wind (12 mph) and moderate energy (1256) keep it as a marginal call. This is the biggest swell of the whole window, but it’s not clean. For the advanced crew, it might be worth a look on the Saturday morning if you’re desperate, but the wind is never proper offshore. The spot is inconsistent and rated for advanced surfers, so don’t expect a crowd, but you’ll be fighting a cross-chop. Sunday, August 30th morning, offers a similar 4ft with a light cross-shore, which is probably your best bet for a slightly cleaner session if you can handle the inconsistent sets.

Looking further ahead to early September, the swell drops back to 2ft to 4ft, and the pattern doesn’t change. Mornings on September 3rd and 5th have marginal tags with 2ft to 4ft and a light breeze, but it’s still cross-shore or cross-on. Honestly, there’s no standout session here. If I had to pick one, I’d say Sunday morning, August 30th, offers the best balance of size (4ft) and the lightest wind, but it’s far from perfect. This break needs a proper offshore east-southeast wind and a northwest swell to shine, and we’re not getting either. For most of the 16 days, you’re looking at poor or marginal conditions, with a gap of several days where there’s no recommendation at all. Keep an eye on the forecasts – it tends not to stay this stubborn forever.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Sun morning, min 23°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Mon afternoon, min 23°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Fri
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
Thursday
27
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
SW
14
0.5
SW
14
0.6
SW
14
0.5
SW
13
0.4
SW
19
0.6
SW
18
0.6
SW
18
0.6
SW
18
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
15
0.4
SW
15
0.4
SW
14
0.3
SW
19
0.3
SW
18
0.4
SW
18
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.7
SW
20
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
74
99
116
85
129
208
203
192
219
165
161
145
76
74
57
51
111
169
163
388
Wind (km/h)
15
W
20
SW
20
SSW
25
SW
15
SSW
15
SSW
20
WSW
20
SSW
15
SSW
25
SW
20
SSW
20
SSW
25
SW
20
SW
15
SW
20
SW
10
SW
10
SW
20
WSW
10
SW
Wind State
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
10:43PM1.78m
10:52AM1.84m
00:04AM1.78m
12:09PM1.84m
1:13AM1.87m
1:14PM1.92m
2:05AM2.01m
2:05PM2.04m
2:45AM2.16m
2:47PM2.17m
3:21AM2.32m
3:25PM2.29m
3:53AM2.45m
Low Tide
4:16PM0.80m
4:41AM1.03m
5:31PM0.82m
6:02AM1.04m
6:42PM0.77m
7:12AM0.97m
7:39PM0.66m
8:05AM0.85m
8:23PM0.54m
8:48AM0.71m
9:02PM0.43m
9:26AM0.58m
9:37PM0.34m
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<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:22
6:22
6:22
6:22
6:22
6:22
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:29
6:28
6:28
6:28
6:28
6:27
6:27
 mm
Temp °C
26
24
26
25
24
27
26
24
26
26
24
26
25
23
25
25
24
26
25
24
Feels °C
27
25
26
24
26
29
26
24
27
26
25
26
24
23
26
25
27
28
26
26
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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