
Surf Forecasts:
El Estero surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 24 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 24s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 24s period, SW swell with 661 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 18 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 13s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for El Estero this week:
The surf forecast for El Estero over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 13s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at El Estero in the next 16 days are 0.8m 24s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 7s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Sat 18th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 24s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 24s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for El Estero over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, let’s have a look at what’s on offer for El Estero over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there are some moments that really get the blood pumping.
First thing you need to know – the water is sitting at 86°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s a nice little bonus for the early sessions.
The pattern starts off pretty flat and average. Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th have tiny waves, around 1 ft to 3 ft from the SW. The wind is a cross-off from the ENE, but it’s blowing 18 to 19 mph, so it’s fresh and messy. Not worth paddling out for. Sunday the 19th afternoon sees a bit of a pulse – 2 ft SW swell, period 18 seconds, but it’s still small. The energy is weak to moderate (201). It’s surfable, but you’d be scratching for scraps.
Monday through Wednesday (20th to 22nd) are pretty poor. The swell stays small, around 2 ft to 3 ft, and the wind is a stiff cross-off again. The combined energy sits between 153 and 377, which is weak to moderate. Not much to get excited about. Thursday the 23rd morning brings a little more size – 4 ft SSW swell, but the period is a short 8 seconds, so it’s going to be a bit fat and lumpy. The afternoon actually turns offshore with a light easterly breeze, but the swell drops to 1 ft. That’s a tease.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The standout window is the weekend of the 26th and 27th, and then again on the 28th. Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th show building energy. The combined energy jumps to 853 on Friday morning and 944 on Saturday morning – that’s moderate to strong wave energy. The swell is 3 ft to 3 ft from the SW, with a long period of 24 and 21 seconds. That’s proper groundswell. The wind is offshore from the E and ESE, light to moderate, so the surface will be clean. These are the best sessions on offer. The river mouth at El Estero is a good bet for this kind of longer-period swell, as it wraps in nicely.
Sunday the 26th is the absolute pick. Morning sees 4 ft SW swell, 19 seconds, with glassy conditions – the wind is dead calm from the east at 3 mph. The combined energy is 938. That’s clean, lined-up waves for the experienced crew. The afternoon gets even better: 4 ft SW, 18 seconds, glassy again, and the energy jumps to 1307. This is excellent, but at 4 ft it’s still manageable for intermediates who are comfortable. The crowd situation at El Estero is “often” busy, so expect company, but it’s worth it.
Monday the 27th morning holds 4 ft SW swell, 18 seconds, with a cross-off breeze. The energy is 1263. Good, clean waves, but the wind is a bit stronger. Tuesday the 28th morning is another cracker: 5 ft SW swell, 18 seconds, with a light cross-off from the NE. The energy is 1527 – that’s strong energy. This is getting into the bigger range, so it’s more for the experienced surfer. The swell direction matches the optimum (WNW) closely enough for this break.
The second week (July 29th to August 1st) looks smaller and less consistent. Wednesday the 29th morning has 5 ft SW swell, 16 seconds, with a light cross-off. Clean, but the energy has dropped to 1042. The rest of the week sees a slow decline. Thursday the 30th afternoon picks up a little with a glassy session – 4 ft SW, 14 seconds, and 564 energy. Friday the 31st and Saturday the 1st of August are smaller, with 2 ft to 3 ft, and offshore winds, but the energy is weak to moderate.
Overall, the best bet is Sunday the 26th and Tuesday the 28th, with the morning sessions being the cleanest. The long-period swell on the 26th and 27th gives you proper groundswell lines, but the lower tides and the river mouth should handle it well. Don’t get too excited about the first week – it’s a slow start.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 32°C on Fri afternoon, min 25°C on Sat night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Wed night. Warm (max 30°C on Mon morning, min 24°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | |||||||||||||||
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 15 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 13 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 8 | SW 26 | SSW 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
75 | 178 | 140 | 192 | 164 | 286 | 170 | 194 | 192 | 366 | 361 | 313 | 305 | 206 | 250 | 173 | 134 | 92 | 173 | 171 | 151 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off |
High Tide | 4:53PM2.56m | 5:27AM2.59m | 5:42PM2.45m | 6:14AM2.54m | 6:31PM2.31m | 7:01AM2.44m | 7:20PM2.15m | 7:48AM2.32m | 8:11PM1.99m | 8:37AM2.19m | 9:05PM1.86m | 9:29AM2.08m | 10:05PM1.77m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:47AM0.16m | 11:09PM0.01m | 11:38AM0.21m | 11:55PM0.11m | 12:28PM0.30m | 00:41AM0.25m | 1:18PM0.40m | 1:27AM0.41m | 2:10PM0.51m | 2:15AM0.56m | 3:04PM0.60m | 3:07AM0.68m | 4:02PM0.66m | ||||||||
5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | |
— | 6:08 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 10 | 1 | 2 | — |
Temp °C | 31 | 32 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 27 | 31 | 32 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 26 | 29 | 28 | 25 | 28 | 29 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 25 |
Feels °C | 31 | 33 | 27 | 31 | 32 | 28 | 32 | 34 | 26 | 30 | 30 | 26 | 29 | 27 | 25 | 28 | 30 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 28 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 14 | SSW 13 | S 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | S 7 | S 7 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 |
195 | 178 | 222 | 192 | 164 | 286 | 276 | 239 | 243 | 366 | 361 | 313 | 305 | 206 | 250 | 173 | 40 | 68 | 173 | 155 | 151 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 15 | SW 13 | S 14 | S 14 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | SSW 7 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | SSW 7 | S 12 | S 12 | S 7 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 18 |
67 | 76 | 140 | 150 | 146 | 32 | 44 | 44 | 45 | 212 | 146 | 144 | 40 | 103 | 174 | 39 | 134 | 92 | 93 | 56 | 79 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 12 | S 16 | SW 13 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | S 7 | S 7 | SSW 7 | S 12 | N 5 | W 10 | S 11 | N 5 | S 11 | N 5 | SW 26 | SW 13 |
75 | 52 | 81 | 61 | 129 | 96 | 170 | 194 | 192 | 34 | 34 | 55 | 137 | 20 | 8 | 63 | 19 | 21 | 4 | 171 | 28 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 5 | N 5 | NNE 4 | NNE 5 | N 5 | NNE 4 | NNE 5 | N 5 | NNE 4 | NNE 5 | N 5 | NNE 4 | NNE 5 | — | NNE 4 | NNE 4 | — | NNE 4 | — | NNE 3 | — |
32 | 19 | 22 | 30 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 19 | 33 | 16 | 31 | 33 | — | 12 | 19 | — | 1 | — | 4 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 29 | 29 | 29 | 16 | 1 | 13 | 10 | 0 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 0 | 29 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Guanacaste | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Costa Rica | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the El Estero Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for El Estero provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at El Estero can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our El Estero 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 (El Estero) 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 El Estero 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.
El Estero is 47 km (29 miles) from Nicoya. If you plan a holiday in Guanacaste, look for hotels and other accommodation in Nicoya. Nicoya has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










