Jaco Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 9.60° N 84.62° W

Jaco Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 pm 18 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Jaco Beach sea temperature is
30.2° C
1.8° 

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


Jaco Beach surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 21s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 19s period, SW swell with 959 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 19 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 12s period with SSW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Jaco Beach this week:

The surf forecast for Jaco Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Jaco Beach in the next 16 days are 1.1m 19s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (CST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9PM (Sun 19th Jul)3ft (0.9m) 12s
Best Surf12AM (Sat 25th Jul)3ft (0.9m) 21s
Most Powerful12AM (Sun 26th Jul)3.5ft (1.1m) 19s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Jaco Beach over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

We’re looking at a solid stretch of surf coming up for Jaco Beach. The first few days are a bit shaky, but once we get past the weekend, there’s some real quality on the horizon. The combined energy starts off moderate and builds into some strong numbers, so the ocean is going to start waking up.

Right now, Sunday morning (19 July) is a bit of a write-off. The swell is tiny at 2.6 feet from the south, and the wind is a cross-onshore breeze. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing special. The combo energy is moderate (452), but the waves are just messy. The afternoon is similar, a little bigger to 3.3 feet but still not clean.

Monday morning (20 July) is when things perk up. The swell is 2.3 feet from the southwest, but the period is a long 16 seconds, and the wind is light and cross-offshore. The energy is moderate (528) and the waves are clean. That’s a nice little window for a morning session. The afternoon gets a bit cross-on, so the morning is the pick.

Tuesday (21 July) is a good one. Morning brings offshore wind from the east with a 2.6-foot south-west swell and a 15-second period. The energy is moderate (487) and the waves are clean. But the real standout? Tuesday afternoon. The wind goes glassy from the ESE, the swell holds at 2.6 feet with a 14-second period, and the energy is moderate (428). That’s flat, clean, and the sets will be spaced out and lined up. For a beach break, that long period can make the waves a bit reluctant to pitch, but with the glassy conditions, it’s going to be a dream.

Wednesday (22 July) is a morning-only affair. The swell drops to 2.3 feet, but the wind is dead calm – glassy as hell. The energy is lower (299), but with the windows open, it’s a fun small-wave day.

Thursday (23 July) is a dud. The swell junks up to 3.3 feet but the period drops to a short 7 seconds, the wind is cross, and the energy is weak (188). Conditions are poor, don’t bother.

Then we get a big turnaround. Friday morning (24 July) is a real standout. The swell is only 2.0 feet, but the period is a massive 24 seconds – a very long groundswell. The wind is glassy and the energy is strong (695). That long period and glassy conditions means the lines will be incredibly clean, and the sets will be fat and drawn out. This is a day for a point break or a reef, but on a beach break, those long-period swells can be a bit straight. Still, with the glassy morning, it’s a treat.

The afternoon of Friday (24 July) is also glassy, with a 4.6-foot swell from the SW and a shorter 8-second period. The energy is strong (573). It’s a different feel – punchier, more push.

Saturday (25 July) morning is glassy again, with a 2.6-foot, 21-second swell and strong energy (684). Another long-period beauty. The afternoon gets a stiff cross-offshore breeze, so the morning is where it’s at.

Sunday (26 July) is stellar. The morning is glassy with a 3.3-foot, 19-second swell and very strong energy (788). The afternoon stays glassy with a 3.6-foot, 18-second swell and even more energy (878). These are two really clean sessions.

Now, Monday (27 July) is the absolute best on offer. The morning is glassy, with a 4.3-foot, 19-second swell from the SW. The combined energy is very strong (1369). That’s a powerful, long-period groundswell with no wind. The afternoon gets a little cross-on, but that morning session is for the experienced – it’s going to be a real standout.

Tuesday (28 July) afternoon is also excellent. The swell hits 4.9 feet from the SW with a 17-second period and very strong energy (1306). The wind is cross-offshore, so the waves are clean. That’s a solid size for a beach break, but with the long period, it’s definitely for the more experienced.

Wednesday (29 July) morning is glassy with a 4.6-foot, 16-second swell and very strong energy (1060). Another excellent session for the crew.

The second week (from 30 July onward) calms down a bit. The swell drops to 3.9 feet and then 3.3 feet, and the periods shorten. The energy stays moderate to strong. The mornings are mostly glassy, like Thursday (30 July) morning and Friday (31 July) morning. The 1st and 2nd of August both have glassy mornings with nice 2.3-foot to 3.3-foot, 15-16 second swells and moderate energy (542-546). The 3rd of August morning is glassy with a 3.6-foot, 13-second swell and moderate energy (467). It’s all clean, fun, small to medium surf.

The standout of the whole forecast is clearly Monday morning (27 July): 4.3 feet, very long

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 22mm), heaviest during Sat night. Warm (max 29°C on Sat night, min 25°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 24mm), heaviest during Wed afternoon. Warm (max 28°C on Thu afternoon, min 25°C on Wed afternoon). Wind will be generally light.

Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
1
1
2
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
0
0
0
1
3
3
4
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1
SSW
13
0.8
S
14
1
S
12
0.9
SSW
13
0.7
SW
16
0.8
SW
16
0.8
SW
15
0.8
SW
15
0.8
SW
14
0.8
SW
13
0.7
SW
13
0.6
SW
12
0.6
SW
12
1
SSW
7
0.9
SSW
7
0.9
SW
8
0.6
SW
24
0.5
SW
24
0.9
SSW
21
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
361
253
304
269
257
306
313
301
248
208
171
124
92
102
84
91
444
273
799
Wind (km/h)
5
NNE
10
NNW
10
W
5
ENE
5
SE
5
SSW
10
NNW
10
E
5
ESE
5
N
0
N
10
SW
10
NW
10
NNW
10
NW
10
N
5
NNW
0
ESE
10
NE
Wind State
glassy
cross-on
on
off
cross-off
cross-on
cross
off
glassy
glassy
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross
glassy
glassy
cross-off
High Tide
6:21AM2.83m
6:38PM2.56m
7:07AM2.71m
7:27PM2.39m
7:54AM2.57m
8:17PM2.22m
8:42AM2.42m
9:12PM2.07m
9:35AM2.29m
10:13PM1.97m
10:33AM2.21m
11:18PM1.93m
Low Tide
00:02AM0.12m
12:35PM0.33m
00:48AM0.28m
1:25PM0.44m
1:34AM0.47m
2:15PM0.56m
2:22AM0.64m
3:09PM0.67m
3:14AM0.79m
4:08PM0.74m
4:12AM0.88m
5:09PM0.77m
thunderstorm
cloud
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
rain showers
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
light rain
rain showers
mod rain
mod rain
cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
light rain
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:26
5:26
5:26
5:26
5:26
5:26
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:02
6:02
6:01
6:01
6:01
6:01
 mm
5
5
3
2
2
3
2
3
1
7
10
3
5
Temp °C
29
28
28
27
27
26
26
26
27
27
27
27
25
27
28
27
28
28
25
Feels °C
34
32
31
32
31
30
29
29
32
32
31
31
30
30
30
29
31
32
29
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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 Jaco Beach Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Jaco Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Jaco Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Jaco Beach 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 (Jaco Beach) 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 Jaco Beach 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.

Are you planning a holiday in Golfo de Nicoya? If you are looking for accommodation near Jaco Beach, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Golfo de Nicoya, consider staying in Esparza which is 43 km (27 miles) away. Other places in and around Golfo de Nicoya where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include San Rafael Abajo which is 45 km (28 miles) away, Tejar, Chacarita and Puntarenas.

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