
Surf Forecasts:
San Mateo surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 27 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 16s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 1PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 17s period, SW swell with 822 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 21 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 13s 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 Tuesday (Jul 21) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 5s. 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 1.2m 17s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (-05) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Mon 27th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Sun 26th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 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 San Mateo. This is a classic point break, exposed to the north-west swell, but it’s an inconsistent wave that needs the right alignment. The coming week or so is a bit of a mixed bag, but there are a couple of windows worth getting excited about. The water temp is sitting right around average for the time of year, nothing unusual there.
We’ve got a bit of a slow start. Monday the 20th is a write-off with small, weak swell and funky winds, so don’t bother paddling out. Tuesday morning the 21st, however, is a real tease. The swell is still small at about 3ft from the SW, but the wind goes glassy – dead calm – and the waves are clean. The combined energy is moderate (424), and while it’s not big, that glassy surface is a rare treat. If you’re a longboarder or just want to cruise, Tuesday morning is your best early call.
Then we run into a bit of a drought. The middle of the week is mostly small, onshore, and messy. Not worth your time. There’s a bit of a pulse building over the weekend, but the winds are cross or cross-on, so the quality is average at best.
Now, hold onto your board. The real standout is Sunday morning the 26th of July. The wind is dead calm again – glassy, perfect conditions. The swell is a solid 4ft from the SW, with a long period of 17 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy (875), and for a point break like San Mateo, that long period is a dream. It’ll wrap in nicely, with clean faces and those long, lined-up waves. This is the morning to set your alarm. The crowd factor is a “sometimes” here, so expect a few others out, but it’s worth it.
Another one to keep an eye on is Monday morning the 27th. The swell jumps up to 5ft from the SW, with a period of 18 seconds. That’s a lot of energy (1513), and it’s clean with a light cross-offshore breeze. However, 5ft is getting into the “not for beginners” zone, and the period is very long, which can make the wave a bit straight and fast on a point. For the experienced crew, this is a proper session. For the groms, maybe sit this one out.
The following week, things quieten down again. The week of the 28th onwards is mostly smaller, with messy winds. The only other real highlight is Wednesday morning the 29th of July. The wind is light cross-offshore, clean, and the swell is a manageable 5ft from the SW with a 15-second period (849 energy). It’s a solid, fun morning, but not as epic as the Sunday before.
After that, we’re into a long stretch of poor or marginal conditions. The forecast drops off significantly by the start of August. The 31st of July and the 1st of August are pretty much a write-off. You’ll see a small bump again on the 2nd of August (Sunday morning) with a tiny 2ft SW swell, but it’s clean with a light offshore. That’s more of a beginner-friendly paddle than a real session.
So, to wrap it up: the best of the best is Sunday morning the 26th of July. Glassy, head-high, long-period groundswell. Don’t miss it. The Monday morning the 27th is a close second for the experienced surfers looking for more power. The rest of the window is a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Mon morning, min 24°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sat afternoon. Warm (max 26°C on Thu afternoon, min 24°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | NW 18 | NW 18 | NW 17 | SW 26 | SW 24 | SW 24 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
169 | 214 | 153 | 330 | 235 | 172 | 114 | 112 | 75 | 105 | 202 | 347 | 449 | 763 | 412 | 723 | 627 | 602 | 751 | 774 | 531 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 8:04AM2.48m | 8:29PM2.18m | 8:50AM2.31m | 9:23PM2.03m | 9:39AM2.15m | 10:24PM1.92m | 10:35AM2.03m | 11:31PM1.86m | 11:38AM1.96m | 00:39AM1.87m | 12:40PM1.95m | 1:38AM1.93m | 1:37PM2.00m | 2:28AM2.02m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:23PM0.48m | 2:32AM0.59m | 3:13PM0.59m | 3:23AM0.76m | 4:08PM0.67m | 4:21AM0.89m | 5:08PM0.73m | 5:26AM0.96m | 6:12PM0.73m | 6:34AM0.96m | 7:11PM0.67m | 7:34AM0.91m | 8:03PM0.59m | ||||||||
6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | |
— | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 27 | 27 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 24 |
Feels °C | 28 | 27 | 25 | 29 | 27 | 24 | 28 | 26 | 24 | 25 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 11 | SW 14 | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
107 | 214 | 126 | 330 | 235 | 172 | 93 | 78 | 75 | 75 | 77 | 233 | 202 | 202 | 164 | 723 | 627 | 602 | 751 | 774 | 525 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | WNW 21 | SW 14 | SSW 5 | NW 19 | WNW 18 | SW 12 | SW 12 | NW 17 | NW 16 | SW 24 | SW 24 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 20 | SSW 10 | SW 10 | SW 10 | SW 22 | NW 14 | SW 19 |
169 | 42 | 153 | 18 | 93 | 65 | 114 | 112 | 75 | 69 | 202 | 347 | 449 | 763 | 412 | 68 | 53 | 39 | 118 | 53 | 531 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 21 | NW 6 | WNW 20 | NW 19 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 18 | NW 18 | SW 26 | SW 26 | WNW 16 | WNW 16 | SW 16 | NW 16 | NW 16 | SW 10 | SW 14 | WNW 14 | SSW 9 | SW 11 | NW 14 |
42 | 1 | 75 | 94 | 1 | 1 | 83 | 80 | 27 | 105 | 104 | 102 | 89 | 62 | 62 | 52 | 53 | 41 | 17 | 29 | 51 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 4 | SSW 12 | SSW 4 | — | SW 5 | SW 6 | — | — | SW 7 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 4 | SSW 5 | SSW 5 |
9 | 247 | 16 | — | 30 | 61 | — | — | 69 | 98 | 98 | — | — | — | — | — | 65 | 64 | 6 | 20 | 23 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 7 | 912 | 7 | 0 | 1012 | 303 | 7 | 1026 | 139 | 7 | 864 | 139 | 141 | 141 | 141 | 7 | 141 | 4 | 0 | 938 | 111 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Manabi | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Ecuador | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










