Jaco Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. We’re looking at a classic patchy stretch ahead. The surf’s not gonna be pumping every day, but there are a few windows where it’ll be well worth paddling out. The water temp at Jaco Beach is sitting at 87°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

The run starts on Friday morning, 21 August, with a steady 4ft SSW swell rolling in at a nice 11-second period. The wind is glassy, NW at only 3 mph. That’s about as clean as it gets. Combined wave energy is moderate at (465). It’s a great way to kick things off – clean and fun. But by afternoon, the risk of thunderstorms and a cross-shore breeze kill the vibe, so get it while you can.

Saturday morning, 22 August, offers a little more of the same, glassy with N wind at 3 mph, but the swell drops to 3ft from the S at 10 seconds. Still fun on a shortboard. Energy is moderate (279). The afternoons keep getting messy with storms, so mornings are the go.

Sunday and Monday mornings, 23 and 24 August, go tiny – 1ft and 2ft – but that Sunday morning has a super long 19-second period groundswell from the SW. That’s classic point break territory; it’ll be incredibly clean with glassy conditions and calm wind, but don’t expect much push. It will be peaky and slow. Energy is moderate (370 and 359). Tuesday morning, 25 August, is similar: knee-high with long period.

Now, things get a real spike on Thursday morning, 27 August. Swell jumps to 6ft from the SSW, but the period is short at 7 seconds. That means bumpy, choppy conditions even with a cross-offshore wind. Combined energy jumps to strong (474). It’s got some grunt, but it won’t be pretty. Not one for the log.

The standout is shaping up for Saturday morning, 29 August. Clean, glassy conditions with NW wind at 3 mph. Swell sits at a solid 4ft from the SW, with a 16-second period. That’s proper groundswell, and the energy is very strong (922). This is the session to circle. The wave quality should be excellent. Sunday morning, 30 August, will be a close second: glassy, calm wind, 4ft SW swell at 15 seconds, and combined energy still very strong (843). Both mornings are the pick of the whole forecast.

What about the longer range? The morning of Friday, 4 September, looks very promising but is still a week and a half out. It’s showing 4ft SW swell at a long 17 seconds, glassy conditions, and excellent quality for experienced surfers. Combined energy is very strong (1082). Could be a cracker, but don’t lock it in just yet.

So, to sum it up: the best windows are the mornings of the 29th and 30th of August. Get on it. The 31st morning is also solid if you miss that. Crowds at Jaco are sometimes an issue, so expect company on those cleaner days. For the pure size, the 27th has the most swell (6ft), but the short period and messy wind make it more of a novelty.

Rusty.

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