El Estero Surf Break

Lat Long: 10.32° N 85.84° W

El Estero Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 pm 04 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's El Estero sea temperature is
29.9°C
1.7° 

El Estero surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


El Estero surf forecast from 5 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 5 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 16s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 5 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 16s period, SW swell with 1,532 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 16s 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 Saturday (Sep 05) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. 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 1.8m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 05) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 7s period and expected on Saturday (Sep 05) at 3PM.

Wave TypeTime (CST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 6AM (Sat 5th Sep)5.5ft (1.7m) 16s
Best Surf 6AM (Sat 5th Sep)5.5ft (1.7m) 16s
Most Powerful12PM (Sat 5th Sep)6ft (1.8m) 16s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for El Estero over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s look at what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a solid run of surf coming, but you’ll need to be picky about when you paddle out. The swell is coming from the SW for the whole period, and that’s exactly what this spot wants to see. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothing freaky there.

The first real standout is Saturday morning, 5 September. El Estero is absolutely pumping. We’re looking at a 6ft swell from the SW with a 16-second period – that’s a proper groundswell with plenty of energy. The combined energy is a beefy 1451 (strong wave energy), and with a clean, gentle offshore wind from the ENE, it’s going to be glassy and lined up. This is for experienced surfers though; at this size and with that long period, it’s going to be powerful and not for the faint-hearted. The long period means it’ll have those nice long lulls between sets, making the paddle out a bit easier, but it’s best for the rivermouth setup here.

By Saturday afternoon, the wind swings onshore and the quality drops right off. Sunday morning (6 September) will see a drop to 5ft, but the wind is better, with a light NE breeze keeping it clean. The period drops to 14 seconds, so it’s still a decent swell, but the energy is down to 847 (moderate). It’s a good option, but not the standout.

The next really good session is Thursday morning, 10 September. We get a 4ft SW swell with a 17-second period, and the wind is a clean offshore from the ENE again. The combined energy is back up to 1124 (strong wave energy). That’s another excellent window for experienced surfers. The set-up will be clean and punchy, with those long-period sets offering some real gems.

After that, the swell slowly winds down. Mornings will generally be the best bet with lighter winds. The week of the 14th to the 20th sees smaller surf, mostly between 2ft and 3ft, but the period stays long, often over 15 seconds. That means the waves will be clean but not offering much power. The best of that second week is Sunday morning, 20 September, when the wind goes dead calm and glassy, with a 3ft SW swell at 19 seconds. The energy is 823 (moderate). It’ll be clean as a whistle, but small. Worth a paddle for a longboard or a funboard.

So, to sum it up: your best bets are Saturday morning, 5 September, and Thursday morning, 10 September. Those are the standouts. The rest of the period is a mix of clean mornings and choppy afternoons, with the surf fading out in the second week. Crowds are likely at El Estero, so get there early for the best ones.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 22mm), heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 31°C on Sat morning, min 26°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 33°C on Wed morning, min 26°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Saturday
5
Sunday
6
Monday
7
Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
4
4
1
3
3
1
3
3
0
2
2
1
3
2
3
4
4
1
3
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.6
SW
16
1.7
SW
16
1.6
SW
16
1.5
SW
15
1.4
SW
14
1.4
SW
14
1.3
SW
14
1.1
SW
14
1.1
SW
14
1
SW
13
0.7
SW
18
0.8
SW
13
0.8
SW
16
0.8
SW
16
0.9
SW
16
1.3
SW
18
1.3
SW
17
1.3
SW
16
1.3
SW
16
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1314
1420
1164
949
833
833
658
507
410
342
312
224
302
299
437
985
1074
823
897
Wind (km/h)
10
ENE
10
ENE
15
SW
10
E
10
NE
15
SW
10
ESE
10
SSE
15
WSW
5
NW
20
ENE
10
SW
15
E
25
ENE
5
SSE
20
ENE
15
ENE
10
SSW
15
E
Wind State
off
off
cross-on
off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
glassy
cross-off
cross-on
off
off
cross-off
off
off
cross-on
off
High Tide
8:20AM2.23m
9:01PM1.92m
9:31AM2.16m
10:19PM1.93m
10:48AM2.16m
11:35PM2.03m
12:00PM2.22m
00:40AM2.19m
1:02PM2.31m
1:35AM2.37m
1:55PM2.40m
2:23AM2.51m
Low Tide
1:56AM0.53m
2:52PM0.51m
3:07AM0.61m
4:06PM0.53m
4:26AM0.63m
5:19PM0.48m
5:43AM0.56m
6:24PM0.38m
6:49AM0.44m
7:19PM0.27m
7:46AM0.30m
8:08PM0.18m
thunderstorm
part cloud
thunderstorm
clear
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
part cloud
part cloud
thunderstorm
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:33
5:33
5:33
5:33
5:33
5:33
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:50
5:49
5:49
5:47
5:46
5:46
 mm
4
2
1
8
4
3
3
1
Temp °C
28
31
29
28
29
29
28
29
27
27
32
30
28
33
32
28
32
31
28
Feels °C
32
34
31
32
32
31
32
32
30
32
36
33
30
34
35
29
35
33
30
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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