Surf Forecasts:
Jaco Beach surf forecast from 11 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 14 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 18s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 14 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 18s period, SW swell with 973 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 11 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 14s period with SW 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 Tuesday (Aug 11) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 14s. 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 1.3m 18s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 14) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Tue 11th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Fri 14th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Fri 14th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Jaco Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what Jaco Beach has in store for us over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, Tuesday the 11th and into Wednesday the 12th are looking pretty flat and messy. The swell is tiny, around 2ft, and the winds are mostly cross or onshore, so don't bother paddling out just yet. There's a bit of a wait.
The first real glimmer of hope comes on Friday morning, the 14th of August. The wind drops to dead calm, the sea goes glassy, and we get a pulse of 3ft groundswell from the SW with a long 18-second period. The combined energy is a solid 850 (moderate energy). It’s not giant, but it’ll be clean and have some push for a longboard or a funboard. The crowds can sometimes be an issue, but with conditions that clean, it'll be worth it.
But the real standout, the one to circle on the calendar, is Saturday morning, the 15th of August. This is the best on offer. The swell ticks up to 4ft from the SW, still with a nice 16-second period. The wind is dead calm, absolutely glassy, and the combined energy jumps to 1046 (strong wave energy). This is excellent surf for anyone who knows what they’re doing. At 4ft, it’s not beginner territory, but for experienced surfers, this is your session. Expect clean, lined-up waves.
Sunday the 16th morning still looks good with 4ft and glassy conditions, so a solid follow-up day. From Monday the 17th through Thursday the 21st, the swell drops a little but stays in that 3ft to 4ft range. The winds are mostly light glass or cross-off at times, so there should be something to ride, just not as good as that Saturday peak.
Things fade towards the end of the month. From the 22nd of August through to the 26th, the swell size drops back under 3ft, the combined energy dips below 300 (weak to marginal energy), and the trades start making things lumpy. The morning glass-offs on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th might offer a few tiny, clean waves for a longboard, but you'll be scratching for them.
So in a nutshell, bide your time until Friday morning. The real fire lights up on Saturday the 15th, so point your board at Jaco Beach and make the most of the glassy SW groundswell.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Wed afternoon. Warm (max 30°C on Tue afternoon, min 27°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 45mm), heaviest during Sat night. Warm (max 29°C on Fri morning, min 25°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 15 | SW 14 | SW 18 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 18 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 150 | 206 | 319 | 144 | 211 | 206 | 155 | 137 | 111 | 369 | 623 | 595 | 951 | 909 | 803 | 773 | 535 | 528 | 466 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:02AM2.39m | 1:20PM2.67m | 2:00AM2.59m | 2:17PM2.77m | 2:52AM2.77m | 3:08PM2.84m | 3:40AM2.89m | 3:56PM2.86m | 4:24AM2.95m | 4:41PM2.81m | 5:06AM2.93m | 5:24PM2.70m | |||||||
Low Tide | 7:05AM0.49m | 7:44PM0.21m | 8:05AM0.35m | 8:36PM0.09m | 8:59AM0.22m | 9:23PM0.01m | 9:48AM0.15m | 10:08PM0.00m | 10:35AM0.13m | 10:51PM0.06m | 11:20AM0.17m | 11:32PM0.17m | |||||||
 |  |  |  | | |  | | | | |  | | |  | | | | | |
 | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — |
 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:54 | — |
mm | — | — | 3 | — | — | 4 | 2 | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 23 | 11 | 3 | 21 |
Temp °C | 29 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 25 |
Feels °C | 34 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 30 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 16 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | S 7 | S 7 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 |
| kJ | 101 | 206 | 241 | 144 | 211 | 78 | 98 | 72 | 68 | 49 | 623 | 595 | 951 | 909 | 803 | 773 | 535 | 118 | 178 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | S 9 | SW 18 | S 9 | S 9 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 19 | S 11 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | SSW 7 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
| kJ | 150 | 55 | 319 | 56 | 55 | 206 | 155 | 137 | 102 | 369 | 209 | 216 | 180 | 137 | 137 | 213 | 96 | 528 | 466 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | SW 19 | S 9 | SW 18 | SW 13 | SW 13 | S 15 | S 14 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 11 | SW 14 | — | — | — | — | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 |
| kJ | 39 | 88 | 53 | 109 | 106 | 82 | 110 | 96 | 111 | 159 | 18 | 206 | — | — | — | — | 38 | 38 | 37 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 1 | 151 | 0 | 0 | 151 | 0 | 1 | 144 | 0 | 0 | 151 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Golfo de Nicoya | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Costa Rica | |||||||||||||||||||
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The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Jaco Beach surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
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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