El Estero Surf Break

Lat Long: 10.32° N 85.84° W

El Estero Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 am 07 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's El Estero sea temperature is
30.1°C
1.9° 

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 8 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 10 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 17s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 10 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 17s period, SW swell with 1,074 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 7 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 13s 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 (Sep 07) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 11s. 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 1.3m 17s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 8s period and expected on Monday (Sep 14) at 6PM.

Wave TypeTime (CST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9PM (Mon 7th Sep)3.5ft (1.0m) 13s
Best Surf 9AM (Thu 10th Sep)4.5ft (1.3m) 17s
Most Powerful 9AM (Thu 10th Sep)4.5ft (1.3m) 17s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for El Estero. This river mouth is firing up with a solid run of clean, rideable waves over the next few days, but we’ve got a bit of a mixed bag further out.

The real standout is Thursday the 10th. That morning, the swell is pumping at 4 ft from the SW, with a solid 17-second period—that’s proper groundswell energy. The wind is a gentle offshore from the ENE, keeping the face clean. The wave energy is strong (1110), so this is one for the experienced crew. It’s going to be a bit punchy, but the river mouth setup will handle that long period well. Water temp is sitting at 86°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you’ll be comfortable in boardshorts.

Monday the 7th morning is a good warm-up. Swell is 4 ft from the SW, 14-second period, with a light cross-off breeze from the NE. The energy is moderate (542) and the conditions are clean. It’s a solid start to the period.

Tuesday the 8th and Wednesday the 9th mornings are also looking tidy. Swell drops a little but stays in the 2 ft to 3 ft range, with offshore winds from the E and ENE. The energy is moderate (625 and 674), and the wave period is still long (16-18 seconds), so you’ll get those long, walling lines. This is a great window for intermediate surfers.

Friday the 11th morning is another good call with 4 ft SW swell, 16-second period, and a cross-off breeze. The conditions are clean, and the energy is moderate (735). After that, the weekend drops off a little. Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th still have clean mornings, but the swell dips to 3 ft and 2 ft, so it’s more of a fun-size wave.

Now, the second week gets a bit prickly. Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th mornings have clean, offshore conditions, but the swell is small (2 ft to 3 ft). The energy is low (246 and 622). These are more for the longboard or foiling crew. Wednesday the 16th morning picks up a bit to 4 ft, and it’s glassy clean, which is a nice little window.

From Thursday the 17th onward, the wind patterns get messy. Most afternoons are onshore, and the mornings are often cross-on or onshore. There’s a notable spike on Tuesday the 22nd with a 4 ft to 5 ft WNW swell, but it’s onshore wind and a short 10-11 second period, so it’s going to be lumpy and crumbly. That’s more of a wind-swell situation, and honestly, that setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Bottom line: the first five days are your best bet. Do not miss Thursday the 10th morning if you’re an experienced surfer. The rest of the second week is a gamble—keep an eye on it, but don’t book the time off work just yet.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 32°C on Wed morning, min 25°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Warm (max 32°C on Thu morning, min 25°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Monday
7
Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Friday
11
Saturday
12
Sunday
13
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
3
1
3
3
1
3
3
3
3
4
1
3
3
2
2
2
0
2
2
0
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
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
1.2
SW
18
1.3
SW
17
1.3
SW
16
1.3
SW
16
1.2
SW
16
1.2
SW
15
1.1
SW
14
1
SW
14
0.9
SW
14
0.8
SW
13
0.7
SW
13
0.6
SW
13
0.6
SW
19
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
507
410
342
312
224
302
299
437
871
1074
823
897
701
623
459
398
341
215
171
138
299
Wind (km/h)
10
NE
10
SW
10
E
15
E
10
SW
10
ENE
20
ENE
10
E
20
E
15
ENE
15
SSW
15
ENE
15
ENE
15
SSW
10
E
10
ENE
15
SSW
5
E
5
ENE
15
SW
10
E
Wind State
cross-off
cross-on
off
off
cross-on
cross-off
off
off
off
off
cross-on
off
cross-off
cross
off
cross-off
cross-on
off
off
cross-on
off
High Tide
10:48AM2.16m
11:35PM2.03m
12:00PM2.22m
00:40AM2.19m
1:02PM2.31m
1:35AM2.37m
1:55PM2.40m
2:23AM2.51m
2:43PM2.46m
3:07AM2.61m
3:27PM2.48m
3:48AM2.64m
4:09PM2.44m
Low Tide
5:19PM0.48m
5:43AM0.56m
6:24PM0.38m
6:49AM0.44m
7:19PM0.27m
7:46AM0.30m
8:08PM0.18m
8:36AM0.19m
8:53PM0.12m
9:21AM0.12m
9:34PM0.11m
10:03AM0.10m
10:14PM0.15m
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thunderstorm
clear
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thunderstorm
clear
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clear
part cloud
thunderstorm
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thunderstorm
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rain showers
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
<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
5:33
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:49
5:47
5:46
5:46
5:45
5:45
5:45
 mm
1
1
5
3
1
1
1
13
5
Temp °C
31
29
28
31
30
27
32
31
27
32
29
27
30
29
27
31
29
28
29
29
27
Feels °C
34
32
31
35
33
30
34
33
27
35
31
30
32
31
30
34
32
31
32
31
31
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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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