
Surf Forecasts:
Jaco Beach surf forecast from 9 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 9 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 15s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 11 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s period, SSW swell with 620 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 9 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 15s 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 Thursday (Jul 09) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Jaco Beach in the next 16 days are 1.1m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 11) at 9AM. 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+) | 6AM (Thu 9th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Thu 9th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Sat 11th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Jaco Beach over the next 16 days.
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s look at what’s on the menu for Jaco Beach over the next couple of weeks.
First off, the water is sitting at a warm 86°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – you’ll be comfortable in just boardshorts or a bikini. The setup here is an exposed beach, and the swell is coming from the direction it likes best: the SSW.
We kick off on Wednesday afternoon, July 8th, but honestly, it’s a bit of a write-off. There’s a risk of thunderstorms and a light cross breeze, with a 4 ft SSW swell (combined energy 793). It’s just not clean enough to get excited about.
The real windows of opportunity start showing up. Thursday morning, July 9th, is a standout. The wind goes completely glassy, and we’ve got a clean 3 ft groundswell from the SSW with a 15-second period. It’s small, but with that kind of period and no wind, it’ll be silky smooth. The energy is moderate (500). This is a proper session for a longboard or a funboard.
Saturday morning, July 11th, is another one to circle. A building 4 ft SSW swell with a 16-second period, and glassy conditions again. The energy is ramping up (709). This is the best of the first week – clean, consistent, and just a joy.
A bit further out, on Saturday morning, July 18th, we’ve got a 4 ft SSW swell with glassy winds. The energy is moderate (499), and it’s looking really tidy. Then Sunday morning, July 19th, is similar – 4 ft, glassy, clean. Both are solid, fun-sized options.
The longest-range standout is Tuesday morning, July 21st. This one has a 4 ft SSW groundswell, a 15-second period, and glassy conditions. The combined energy jumps to 913 (moderate), which is the strongest reading in the whole window. It’s a promising call, but we’re looking at something over a week away, so keep an eye on it.
A few things to note: the swell generally stays under 5 ft, so it’s friendly for beginners on the better days, though on Wednesday afternoon, July 22nd, the swell jumps to 5 ft, but the period drops to 8 seconds (short period), and the wind is cross-onshore. That one is a messy, bumpy mess – not worth your time.
Overall, there are no huge, epic swells, but plenty of clean, small to medium days with that long-period SSW groundswell. The best bet is to aim for the glassy mornings of July 9th, 11th, 18th, 19th, and the promising 21st. The gaps between good conditions are short, usually a day or two at most.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 39mm), heaviest during Fri night. Warm (max 30°C on Wed afternoon, min 25°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 37mm), heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 29°C on Mon afternoon, min 26°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wed 8 | Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
683 | 596 | 403 | 382 | 358 | 279 | 272 | 267 | 620 | 481 | 405 | 400 | 321 | 232 | 225 | 225 | 405 | 394 | 347 | 253 | 312 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross | glassy | glassy | cross | cross-off | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | cross | glassy | glassy |
High Tide | 8:46PM2.15m | 9:14AM2.51m | 9:49PM2.13m | 10:16AM2.53m | 10:58PM2.16m | 11:22AM2.59m | 00:07AM2.25m | 12:27PM2.67m | 1:12AM2.39m | 1:29PM2.77m | 2:11AM2.56m | 2:27PM2.86m | 3:06AM2.71m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:48AM0.63m | 3:45PM0.59m | 3:50AM0.65m | 4:50PM0.52m | 4:57AM0.62m | 5:56PM0.41m | 6:06AM0.54m | 6:59PM0.28m | 7:11AM0.44m | 7:57PM0.14m | 8:12AM0.32m | 8:50PM0.02m | 9:09AM0.23m | ||||||||
— | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | |
6:02 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:02 | — | 6:02 | |
mm | 7 | 2 | — | 4 | 4 | — | 4 | 18 | — | 7 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 | — | 4 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 2 |
Temp °C | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 |
Feels °C | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 35 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 33 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | S 7 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 |
683 | 596 | 403 | 382 | 358 | 279 | 86 | 236 | 620 | 481 | 405 | 400 | 321 | 232 | 225 | 225 | 405 | 394 | 347 | 253 | 312 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 15 | SSW 17 | S 7 | S 7 | SSW 6 | S 7 | SSW 7 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | SSW 6 | SW 6 | SW 6 | SW 6 | SW 6 |
110 | 110 | 87 | 85 | 90 | 117 | 272 | 267 | 89 | 86 | 55 | 36 | 47 | 47 | 33 | 32 | 35 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 9 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 11 | S 11 | S 21 | S 20 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | — | — | SW 22 | SW 6 | S 18 | S 18 | S 16 | S 16 | SW 19 | S 7 | S 7 | SW 18 | S 7 |
— | 22 | 10 | 9 | 31 | 75 | 246 | 123 | — | — | 19 | 9 | 26 | 97 | 190 | 186 | 133 | 15 | 16 | 111 | 15 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 103 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 151 | 0 | 0 | 151 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 58 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 145 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Golfo de Nicoya | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Costa Rica | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











