Surf Forecasts:
Dominical surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 21s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 19s period, SW swell with 627 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 13s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Dominical this week:
The surf forecast for Dominical over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Dominical in the next 16 days are 0.9m 19s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 21s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 19s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Dominical over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down this 16-day run for Dominical. It’s a slow burn, but there are some real sweet spots if you time it right.
The big picture is a steady flow of Southern Hemisphere groundswell, but most of the time it’s on the small side. The real magic comes from the glassy mornings. The water is sitting at 86°F, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, so a shorty or just boardies will do.
The first real window opens on Monday, July 20th. The swell is tiny, about 2ft from the WSW, but the period is a long 16 seconds. That’s proper groundswell. The wind is dead calm in the morning and stays glassy into the afternoon. It’s a clean, small-wave session. The combined energy is moderate (376), so it’s a fun grovel board day. This pattern repeats on Tuesday (July 21st) and Wednesday (July 22nd) mornings: glassy, 2-2ft swells from the SW with periods of 13-14 seconds. The consistency is very good here.
Now, fast forward to the end of the month. Monday, July 28th morning is the real standout. We’re looking at a clean 4ft SW swell, with a period of 18 seconds and a dead calm wind. The combined energy is a strong 881. That’s a proper, long-period groundswell pushing in. For a beach break, that long period can make it a bit straight, but with zero wind, it’ll be some of the most lined-up, powerful waves of the whole window. This is the one to mark on the calendar. It’s advanced territory in that size, but if you’re up for it, it’s the best of the run.
Tuesday, July 29th morning is almost as good: 4ft, 16-second SW swell with glassy conditions and 734 combined energy. Another top-tier morning.
After that, the swell drops back to the 2-3ft range for the first week of August. The wind looks good, but the wave energy fades. It’s surfable, but nothing compared to the last week of July.
The main catch is the near-daily afternoon thunderstorms. Mornings are the only call. And expect crowds, especially on those peaky, glassy mornings.
So, for the best of the best: Monday, July 28th morning is your winner. Tuesday, July 29th morning is a close second.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 33mm), heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 28°C on Sun afternoon, min 25°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 69mm), heaviest during Fri afternoon. Warm (max 28°C on Thu morning, min 24°C on Fri afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | ||||||||||||||
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 12 | SSW 13 | WSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 7 | SW 24 | SW 24 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 20 | SW 19 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 190 | 215 | 175 | 203 | 178 | 211 | 191 | 242 | 140 | 120 | 89 | 71 | 56 | 47 | 347 | 195 | 449 | 368 | 251 | 627 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | glassy | off |
High Tide | 6:32PM2.61m | 7:01AM2.76m | 7:21PM2.44m | 7:48AM2.61m | 8:13PM2.26m | 8:37AM2.45m | 9:08PM2.11m | 9:30AM2.33m | 10:10PM2.01m | 10:28AM2.25m | 11:15PM1.98m | 11:29AM2.23m | 00:17AM2.01m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:42AM0.31m | 1:19PM0.46m | 1:28AM0.49m | 2:10PM0.58m | 2:17AM0.67m | 3:04PM0.69m | 3:10AM0.81m | 4:03PM0.76m | 4:09AM0.91m | 5:04PM0.78m | 5:11AM0.94m | 6:04PM0.74m | ||||||||
 |  | | |  | | |  |  | | | | | | |  |  |  | | | |
 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — |
 | 5:59 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — |
mm | 3 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 14 | 26 | 7 | — | 1 | 2 |
Temp °C | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 25 | 28 | 27 | 26 |
Feels °C | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 32 | 32 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SW 6 | SW 6 | SW 6 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | SSW 6 | SSW 7 | SW 7 | SW 7 | SW 7 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SSW 8 | SW 19 |
| kJ | 190 | 59 | 49 | 42 | 178 | 211 | 191 | 242 | 38 | 54 | 76 | 47 | 36 | 47 | 57 | 86 | 449 | 368 | 48 | 627 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 7 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | S 7 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 6 | SSW 10 | SW 24 | SW 24 | SW 8 | WSW 8 | SW 20 | SSW 7 |
| kJ | 82 | 215 | 136 | 131 | 46 | 71 | 93 | 24 | 140 | 120 | 89 | 71 | 22 | 20 | 347 | 195 | 57 | 39 | 251 | 44 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 20 | SW 18 | WSW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 6 | SW 6 | WSW 6 | SSW 11 | W 10 | SW 19 | WSW 7 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | S 8 | SSW 8 | WSW 7 | SW 11 |
| kJ | 8 | 81 | 175 | 203 | 125 | 27 | 9 | 4 | 39 | 7 | 15 | 18 | 56 | 27 | 51 | 23 | 29 | 38 | 20 | 33 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 45 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 110 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Golfo de Nicoya | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Costa Rica | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Dominical Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Dominical provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Dominical can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Dominical 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 (Dominical) 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 Dominical 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 Golfo de Nicoya? If you are looking for accommodation near Dominical, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Golfo de Nicoya, consider staying in San Isidro which is 23 km (14 miles) away. Other places in and around Golfo de Nicoya where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Quepos which is 42 km (26 miles) away, Paraiso, Cartago and Tejar.
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