
Surf Forecasts:
San Mateo surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 20s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 18s period, SW swell with 769 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 25 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 20s 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 Saturday (Jul 25) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 20s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m 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 1.1m 18s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (-05) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 20s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 20s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for San Mateo over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s on offer at San Mateo over the next couple of weeks.
Look, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it: the first few days are a bit of a write-off. We’ve got a bit of a wait on our hands. The first real whisper of something surfable won’t show up until Monday the 20th of July, and even then it’s marginal. The week starts with a small, weak SW groundswell running about 2ft with a period of 14 seconds, but the wind is all over the shop. The combined energy is moderate (211-280), but it’s a bit of a tease. The morning of Monday the 20th will see a clean, cross-off breeze, offering the best chance of a half-decent wave if you’re keen. After that, it’s back to choppy, cross-shore wind for the rest of the day.
Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd are a mixed bag. The swell picks up a touch, with a 3ft, 13-second SW groundswell on Tuesday morning and a combined energy of 451 (moderate), but the wind stays cross-shore. The conditions are only “marginal,” so don’t expect perfection. Still, a light breeze on those mornings might give you a few clean-ish ones if you’re patient.
Thursday the 23rd is a proper dog. The swell is tiny and messy, with a very long period of 26 seconds on the morning, but it’s only 1ft of SW windswell. The energy is moderate (251), but the wind is cross-shore, making it a total washout. Don’t bother.
Now, hold on to your board, because Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th are where things start to get interesting. The swell builds to 2ft-3ft with a very long period of 21-19 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 775 (strong). The wind is light, with a slight air on Saturday morning. This is a long-period groundswell, so it’s going to be a bit more powerful and the sets will be spaced out, but at a point break like San Mateo, that’s often a good thing—it’ll shape up nicely. It’s marginal, but these are the best windows in the early part of the forecast.
The real standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, is Wednesday the 29th of July. This is the pick of the bunch. We’ve got a 5ft SW groundswell pushing in with a period of 15 seconds, and the combined energy is a solid 1126 (strong). The key here is the wind: in the morning, it’s glassy, dead calm. The conditions are described as “excellent for experienced surfers,” and that’s because this is a powerful swell. At 5ft, it’s solid, solid stuff. This is for the lads who know what they’re doing. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no need for a thick suit.
Thursday the 30th of July is also a very good shout. The swell drops a touch to 4ft, still with a 14-second period, but the morning is glassy again. The combined energy is 609 (moderate to strong), and the forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” If you miss the 29th, this is your backup plan. It’s a bit smaller, so it’s a bit more manageable for the average surfer, but still powerful.
After that, the swell fades through the end of July and into August. The first few days of the new month see a slow decline, with the swell dropping to 3ft-4ft and the combined energy falling back to the moderate range (365-788). The wind stays mostly cross-shore or cross-on, so the quality drops back to marginal. By Monday the 3rd of August, it’s a rainy, messy morning with 3ft SW swell and poor conditions.
So, to sum it up: the first half of the week is a dud. The best bet, the absolute standout, is Wednesday the 29th of July for the experts, and Thursday the 30th of July for those who want a slightly more friendly wave. The rest of the run is for the die-hards with low expectations.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Sun morning, min 24°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Wed afternoon, min 23°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 6 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | NW 18 | NW 17 | SW 26 | SW 24 | SW 24 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
63 | 77 | 159 | 169 | 214 | 153 | 330 | 235 | 172 | 139 | 112 | 75 | 105 | 202 | 347 | 449 | 763 | 412 | 723 | 627 | 609 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 7:19AM2.63m | 7:38PM2.33m | 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 | |||||||
Low Tide | 1:35PM0.38m | 1:44AM0.39m | 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 | ||||||||
6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | |
— | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 26 | 26 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 25 |
Feels °C | 26 | 26 | 25 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 27 | 25 | 24 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 29 | 27 | 28 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 6 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SSW 7 | SW 11 | SW 21 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 |
131 | 152 | 142 | 169 | 144 | 153 | 330 | 235 | 172 | 52 | 112 | 75 | 77 | 77 | 96 | 237 | 763 | 412 | 723 | 627 | 609 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | WNW 21 | SW 14 | SW 11 | NW 19 | NW 19 | NW 18 | SW 12 | NW 18 | NW 17 | NW 16 | SW 24 | SW 24 | SW 21 | SW 8 | SSW 7 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 |
49 | 77 | 159 | 42 | 214 | 99 | 95 | 93 | 84 | 139 | 80 | 75 | 69 | 202 | 347 | 449 | 64 | 35 | 68 | 64 | 38 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 14 | NW 14 | WSW 13 | SSW 13 | WNW 21 | SW 7 | NW 9 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | NW 18 | WNW 8 | SW 26 | SW 26 | WNW 16 | SW 11 | SW 16 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 10 | SW 10 | SW 11 |
19 | 8 | 17 | 17 | 42 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 83 | 6 | 27 | 105 | 104 | 75 | 89 | 61 | 67 | 52 | 53 | 55 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 6 | SW 6 | SW 6 | SSW 11 | SW 4 | SW 5 | SW 5 | SW 5 | SW 6 | — | SSW 7 | SW 7 | SSW 7 | SW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
63 | 46 | 33 | 251 | 24 | 18 | 23 | 19 | 38 | — | 57 | 71 | 91 | 106 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 102 | 141 | 141 | 57 | 814 | 7 | 7 | 930 | 141 | 7 | 1003 | 139 | 102 | 912 | 11 | 48 | 815 | 46 | 46 | 819 | 102 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Manabi | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










