Surf Forecasts:
El Estero surf forecast from 24 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 18s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 16s period, SW swell with 1,314 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 24 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 18s 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 Monday (Aug 24) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 18s 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 1.6m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 7s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Fri 28th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for El Estero over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get stuck into what’s cooking for El Estero over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a slow start this afternoon. There’s a 2ft SW groundswell rolling in, with a very long 18-second period, but it’s barely enough to get excited about. The water’s sitting at a warm 86°, which feels a touch warmer than usual for this time of year. The onshore wind is making things a bit messy, so don’t expect much today.
Come Monday morning, the wind swings offshore from the ENE at a gentle 9 mph, cleaning things up nicely with that same 2ft SW groundswell (18-second period). It’s small, but clean and rideable for a log. The afternoon turns to rubbish though with onshore wind, so get on it early.
Tuesday (25th August) sees a bit more wind, a moderate ENE breeze at 12 mph, but it’s offshore or cross-offshore, keeping the 2ft, 16-second swell manageable. Wednesday morning is ordinary with weak 2ft swell and light wind, and the energy is barely there. Thursday is more of the same – small and average.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Friday 28th August is your first real standout. The swell picks up to 3ft from the SW with a 19-second period, and the combined energy is decent. A moderate offshore breeze from the ENE keeps it clean. This is the one to aim for if you want a proper session.
Saturday 29th August morning is for the experienced crew only. That SW swell bumps up to 5ft, still with a 16-second period, ENE offshore wind at 9 mph, and the energy is strong. It’s going to be pumping, but it’s head-high plus, so leave the foamies at home. The afternoon gets chopped up by a cross-onshore wind.
Sunday 30th August has a clean, light wind morning with a 5ft, 14-second swell. Good fun, but the afternoon gets sketchy again.
The second week holds a couple of goodies. Thursday 3rd September – glassy conditions, a 3ft, very long-period 20-second SW groundswell, and solid energy. That long period means it’ll be lined up nicely at this river mouth, with good gaps between sets. It’s a winner.
But the absolute pick of the whole outlook? Friday 4th September and Saturday 5th September. On Friday morning, the swell jumps to 6ft from the SW (17 seconds) with a light offshore wind (NE 6 mph) and very strong wave energy. The guidance says excellent for experienced surfers, and I’d back that. Saturday morning is nearly identical: 6ft SW swell, 16-second period, offshore E wind at 9 mph, and equally strong energy. This is big, clean, powerful surf for those who know what they’re doing.
After that, Sunday the 6th and Monday the 7th are still solid with 5ft and 4ft, clean and cross-offshore winds, but the real juice is on that Friday and Saturday.
One thing to keep in mind: this place can get crowded often, so expect company on the good days. The consistency is solid, so even the smaller days have something to offer.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 32°C on Tue morning, min 25°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the ENE on Sun afternoon, calm by Mon morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon. Warm (max 32°C on Fri afternoon, min 25°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | ||||||||||||||
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 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
260 | 327 | 255 | 305 | 390 | 211 | 206 | 191 | 110 | 107 | 104 | 106 | 106 | 248 | 531 | 354 | 1215 | 1123 | 1314 | 1105 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | off | on | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-on | glassy | off | off | off | off | cross-on | off |
High Tide | 11:37PM1.71m | 11:52AM1.94m | 00:37AM1.80m | 12:47PM2.02m | 1:25AM1.94m | 1:34PM2.12m | 2:06AM2.09m | 2:16PM2.21m | 2:43AM2.23m | 2:54PM2.28m | 3:19AM2.35m | 3:32PM2.32m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:27PM0.73m | 5:34AM0.84m | 6:25PM0.66m | 6:34AM0.77m | 7:13PM0.57m | 7:24AM0.67m | 7:54PM0.47m | 8:08AM0.56m | 8:30PM0.38m | 8:48AM0.45m | 9:05PM0.31m | 9:26AM0.35m | 9:39PM0.26m | |||||||
— | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | |
5:57 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:53 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 30 | 27 | 31 | 29 | 27 | 32 | 32 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 26 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 30 | 32 | 27 | 32 | 30 | 28 |
Feels °C | 29 | 27 | 35 | 31 | 30 | 33 | 32 | 28 | 33 | 33 | 28 | 31 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 27 | 35 | 32 | 33 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | SSW 6 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
106 | 109 | 104 | 102 | 390 | 211 | 206 | 191 | 39 | 47 | 243 | 57 | 33 | 43 | 531 | 354 | 1215 | 1123 | 1314 | 1105 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 6 | WSW 6 | SW 16 | S 6 | S 6 | SW 6 | S 11 | S 6 | SSW 7 |
260 | 327 | 255 | 305 | 76 | 55 | 52 | 33 | 110 | 107 | 104 | 31 | 26 | 248 | 41 | 30 | 14 | 154 | 20 | 56 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | N 4 | N 5 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | N 4 | N 4 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 21 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SSW 11 | WSW 6 | S 11 | S 10 |
84 | 75 | 72 | 10 | 11 | 34 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 1 | 3 | 106 | 106 | 72 | 123 | 125 | 40 | 15 | 37 | 18 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 4 | NE 3 | NNE 4 | — | — | NNE 4 | — | NNE 5 | NE 3 | — | — | — | — | NNE 5 | NNE 5 | NNE 5 | SE 7 | — | SW 6 | — |
11 | 3 | 6 | — | — | 4 | — | 12 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 33 | 14 | 9 | 35 | — | 19 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 29 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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.











