
Surf Forecasts:
Costa Banderas surf forecast from 23 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 28 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 16s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 30 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 14s period, SW swell with 1,891 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 24 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 13s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Costa Banderas this week:
The surf forecast for Costa Banderas over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Costa Banderas in the next 16 days are 2.2m 14s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 30) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Tue 28th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 7ft (2.2m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Costa Banderas over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down the next sixteen days for our little corner of the surf world. We’ve got some decent action on the horizon, but it’s a bit of a slow start and a long tail-off at the end.
The first window of proper surf kicks off this Thursday morning, July 23rd. The water is sitting at a warm 88.3°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you’ll be in boardies for sure.
That first morning, July 23rd, is a tease. We’re looking at tiny 2ft swell from the WSW, but the wind is dead calm – glassy. The energy is weak (117), so it’s more about the glide than the power. Thursday afternoon falls apart with a cross-shore wind, so don’t bother.
Friday, July 24th, is a write-off. The morning is messy with a risk of thunderstorms and a cross-shore breeze, and the afternoon is no better. The swell is small and weak.
Now, we start to see a real pattern shape up. Saturday morning, July 25th, is a cracker. The wind goes dead calm again, glassy as you like, on a 2ft SW swell. The energy is picking up, though – it’s reading 420, a solid moderate energy. This is the kind of surf that just feels clean and fun. Saturday afternoon gets messy with a cross-onshore wind, so get out early.
Sunday, July 26th, is another good one. The morning is glassy with a 3ft SW swell, and the energy is up to 488. The afternoon holds up well too, with a clean cross-offshore wind from the WNW. This is the start of a good run.
Monday, July 27th, keeps the vibe going. Another glassy morning, a 3ft SSW swell, and the energy is building to 516. The afternoon is clean with a cross-offshore breeze. The consistency is there, and the conditions are feeling right.
But the real standout, the one you’re going to want to circle on the calendar, is Tuesday, July 28th. The morning session is a beauty. The swell is up to 5.6ft from the SSW, with a period of 16 seconds – that’s proper groundswell. The energy is a strong 1397, and the wind is a clean cross-offshore breeze. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The size is over 5ft, so it’s pushing into the intermediate-to-expert zone. The long period means better shaped waves and more energy, but it’s a cracker.
Wednesday, July 29th, is a mixed bag. The morning shows a bigger 7.5ft SW swell with a period of 14 seconds, and the energy is huge at 1884. That’s serious power. But the wind is a light cross-shore, which is marginal. The afternoon is a total no-go with a howling 22 mph cross-onshore wind. The morning might be worth a look for experts only, as the size is over 8ft, but the wind is a concern.
Thursday, July 30th, is back in the game. The morning is clean with a cross-offshore breeze and a 5.6ft WSW swell. The energy is still strong at 1172. This is very good surf. The afternoon is a bit more marginal with a cross-shore wind.
After that, the party starts to wind down. Friday, July 31st, and Saturday, August 1st, have some clean or glassy mornings with swell dropping from 5ft to 4ft. The energy is moderate. The afternoons get messy.
From Sunday, August 2nd, onwards, it’s a long, slow fade. The swell drops below 3ft, and the energy falls into the weak to moderate range. There are some clean mornings, but the waves are small and ordinary. We’re looking at a solid week of really small surf from August 2nd through to August 7th. The energy stays under 200, and the swell is mostly under 2ft. It’s a proper flat spell.
So, the best of the best is the Tuesday morning, July 28th. Get out there for that one. The weekend of July 25-27 is a solid second prize for cleaner, smaller waves.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 39mm), heaviest during Fri night. Warm (max 31°C on Fri afternoon, min 26°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Warm (max 30°C on Sun afternoon, min 26°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 10 | SW 26 | SW 13 | SW 24 | SW 12 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
63 | 105 | 46 | 271 | 40 | 664 | 361 | 450 | 627 | 465 | 449 | 607 | 434 | 487 | 516 | 1390 | 617 | 1519 | 1884 | 1770 | 1891 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross | glassy | cross | cross | on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 4:54PM1.18m | 9:23AM1.05m | 5:58PM1.23m | 9:14AM1.09m | 6:48PM1.29m | 9:23AM1.12m | 7:28PM1.36m | 9:38AM1.15m | 8:04PM1.43m | 9:57AM1.18m | 8:37PM1.47m | 10:16AM1.20m | 9:08PM1.49m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:23AM0.40m | 12:45PM1.00m | 1:54AM0.30m | 1:25PM0.94m | 2:22AM0.22m | 1:54PM0.89m | 2:49AM0.16m | 2:20PM0.83m | 3:15AM0.12m | 2:47PM0.77m | 3:39AM0.10m | 3:14PM0.72m | |||||||||
6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | |
— | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:42 | — | — | 7:42 | — | — | 7:40 | — | — | 7:40 | — | |
mm | — | — | 8 | 1 | — | 15 | — | — | 15 | — | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 28 | 32 | 34 | 29 |
Feels °C | 34 | 33 | 35 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 31 | 33 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 30 | 30 | 32 | 30 | 34 | 32 | 28 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 10 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
63 | 54 | 46 | 47 | 36 | 664 | 361 | 450 | 627 | 465 | 449 | 607 | 434 | 487 | 516 | 1390 | 617 | 1519 | 1884 | 1770 | 1891 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 6 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 24 | SW 12 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | W 8 | WSW 8 | W 7 | W 7 | SSW 15 | SSW 11 | SSW 13 | W 9 | SW 16 | — | — | — | — |
10 | 44 | 44 | 271 | 40 | 26 | 23 | 22 | 18 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 72 | 38 | 192 | 7 | 515 | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 26 | WNW 5 | SW 13 | WNW 6 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 11 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 7 | SW 12 | W 8 | — | W 9 | — | — | — | — |
44 | 105 | 5 | 42 | 11 | 37 | 36 | 35 | 34 | 12 | 28 | 27 | 10 | 6 | 5 | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WNW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 27 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Nayarit | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Mexico | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Information about the Costa Banderas Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Costa Banderas provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Costa Banderas can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Costa Banderas 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 (Costa Banderas) 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 Costa Banderas 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.
Costa Banderas is 27 km (17 miles) from Puerto Vallarta. If you plan a holiday in Nayarit, look for hotels and other accommodation in Puerto Vallarta. Puerto Vallarta has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










