Surf Forecasts:
El Estero surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s period, SW swell with 539 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 18 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 14s period with SW 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 Tuesday (Aug 18) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 14s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at El Estero in the next 16 days are 1.1m 16s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 11s period and expected on Friday (Aug 21) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for El Estero over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s in store for El Estero over the next couple of weeks.
Well, I gotta be straight with you. For the next week or so, it’s pretty flat and uninspiring. The swell is small and the conditions are ordinary. But then, hold onto your board, because the last few days of August and into the start of September look like they might just deliver something special.
The water temperature is sitting around 86°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s a nice bonus.
Right now, from Monday the 17th right through to Monday the 24th of August, you’re looking at tiny waves. The swell height barely sneaks above 4ft and mostly hovers around 1ft to 2ft. The combined swell energy is weak to moderate, with readings as low as 90 and reaching only 502 at its best early on. A lot of the time the winds are okay – some clean offshore mornings – but the waves are just too small to get excited about. Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th have some clean, glassy windows, but with surf around 3ft or less, it’s really only for the longboard or the foamie.
Then Thursday morning the 20th of August, we get a little bump to 2ft from the SW with a 13-second period and gentle offshore wind. It’s clean, but still small. The energy is weak here at 298. Not a standout, but a quiet session if you’re desperate.
Honestly, the real action doesn’t kick in until Friday the 28th of August. That’s when the charts start looking proper. The swell jumps to 2ft on the Friday morning, but with a long 20-second period from the SW, and the combined energy shoots up to 730 (moderate). The wind is light and cross-offshore, so it will be clean. That’s a good sign.
But the standout is Saturday the 29th of August. This is the one. The swell pushes to 5ft from the SW, with a 17-second period. The combined energy is a solid 1799 (strong). Morning winds are light and cross-offshore, so it’ll be clean. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. It’s too big for beginners. The afternoon turns glassy with a slight air, which is just magic. This is the best on offer.
Sunday the 30th of August still has 5ft from the SW, but the period drops to 15 seconds and the wind gets a bit messy in the afternoon. The morning is better with a moderate offshore breeze, but the afternoon will be cross-onshore and choppy. Still, the morning session is worth it for the experienced crew.
Heading into Monday the 31st, the swell drops a little to 4ft from the SW with a 14-second period. Morning offshore winds will keep it clean, and the energy is at 718. Good, solid waves.
Tuesday the 1st of September sees the swell drop to 4ft from the SW, with a 13-second period. The morning is glassy. It’s clean and fun, but not as powerful as the weekend.
So, if you’re free, clear your calendar for Saturday the 29th of August. That’s the day the swell, the period, the wind, and the energy all line up. It’s going to be a ripper.
This is Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 31°C on Thu morning, min 24°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Warm (max 32°C on Sun morning, min 25°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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 14 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
500 | 410 | 428 | 395 | 539 | 355 | 350 | 238 | 183 | 138 | 83 | 76 | 54 | 102 | 95 | 155 | 97 | 184 | 260 | 327 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | off | off | cross-off | off | off | glassy | cross-off | off | glassy | off | off | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross | off |
High Tide | 6:00PM2.29m | 6:22AM2.44m | 6:44PM2.14m | 7:05AM2.29m | 7:29PM1.98m | 7:50AM2.14m | 8:19PM1.83m | 8:42AM2.01m | 9:18PM1.72m | 9:42AM1.92m | 10:27PM1.68m | 10:48AM1.90m | 11:37PM1.71m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:06AM0.29m | 12:41PM0.36m | 00:48AM0.44m | 1:26PM0.49m | 1:32AM0.59m | 2:16PM0.61m | 2:20AM0.72m | 3:14PM0.71m | 3:18AM0.82m | 4:20PM0.75m | 4:26AM0.86m | 5:27PM0.73m | ||||||||
— | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | |
6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:57 | — | |
mm | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 29 | 26 | 29 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 31 | 30 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 32 | 30 | 27 |
Feels °C | 33 | 30 | 32 | 31 | 28 | 31 | 33 | 28 | 34 | 35 | 29 | 34 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 30 | 36 | 33 | 28 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | S 8 | SSW 8 | S 8 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 |
500 | 410 | 428 | 395 | 539 | 355 | 350 | 111 | 115 | 147 | 275 | 345 | 351 | 284 | 269 | 198 | 154 | 109 | 106 | 109 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 7 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | SW 18 |
111 | 108 | 98 | 100 | 95 | 89 | 90 | 238 | 183 | 138 | 83 | 76 | 54 | 102 | 95 | 155 | 84 | 116 | 260 | 327 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 3 | S 10 | S 10 | N 4 | S 12 | N 5 | NNW 5 | N 6 | S 13 | S 13 | SSW 19 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 17 | N 4 | SW 20 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 13 | SW 12 |
2 | 18 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 30 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 74 | 3 | 98 | 97 | 184 | 84 | 75 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | NNE 5 | — | — | NNE 5 | NNE 5 | N 3 | NNE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 4 | NNE 4 | N 5 | NNE 4 |
— | — | — | — | 26 | — | — | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 18 | 16 | 9 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 58 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 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.











