Surf Forecasts:
Little Shoal surf forecast from 1 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 31 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 8s period, ENE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 5 Sep, 1PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 8s period, ENE swell with 230 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 31 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 8s period with ENE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Little Shoal this week:
The surf forecast for Little Shoal over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 8s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Little Shoal in the next 16 days are 1.3m 8s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 05) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 2s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 06) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Mon 31st Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Mon 31st Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Sat 5th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Little Shoal over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what Little Shoal has on offer for the next couple of weeks.
It's a bit of a slow start, to be honest. The water temperature is sitting at a balmy 84°F which is about what you'd expect for this time of year, so no wetsuit needed. The first few days, from Monday the 31st of August through to the end of that first week, only offer small, weak swell with poor energy readings. The combined energy of all swells directed here is mostly in the low 100s to low 200s (102 to 224), putting it in the weak to moderate range, and what little swell there is has a short period of only 7 to 8 seconds. The winds are often cross-onshore or onshore, which makes for messy, uninviting conditions. You'll see a few glassy mornings on Tuesday the 1st and Thursday the 3rd of September, but with only 3ft of short-period ENE swell, it's barely surfable and very ordinary. Honestly, there's a big gap of poor surf here with nothing worth getting excited about until the second week of September.
The real story, and the only standout in this entire forecast, is the morning of Thursday the 10th of September. It's not a perfect day, but it's the best we've got. We'll see a 6ft NE to ENE swell with a solid 10-second period. The combined energy of all swells directed here jumps to a strong 635 (moderate to strong wave energy). The wind is a light cross-onshore from the NW at 6 mph, which is manageable. The reef setup at Little Shoal should handle the size well, offering some decent shape. Keep in mind that with this swell size, it's a bit much for beginners, but it's a good fun size for intermediates. The crowds are *sometimes* an issue here, so you might have a few people out, but it's worth it for the best push of the forecast.
Following that, the swell hangs around at 5ft to 7ft with similar energy through the weekend (September 11th to 13th), but the winds get more cross-onshore and choppy, dropping the quality. The wave energy is still hefty (378 to 794) but the conditions just aren't as clean. After that, it fades back into the mundane.
So, don't waste your time on the first week. Mark your calendar for the morning of the 10th of September. That's your window.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Mon morning. Warm (max 29°C on Wed morning, min 25°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Sat night. Warm (max 29°C on Thu morning, min 26°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | 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) | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 10 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 217 | 212 | 179 | 136 | 133 | 98 | 77 | 79 | 161 | 143 | 147 | 136 | 151 | 184 | 187 | 196 | 224 | 175 | 230 | 224 | 182 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross | glassy | on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:41PM0.40m | 4:29AM0.26m | 4:13PM0.43m | 5:19AM0.23m | 4:50PM0.46m | 6:07AM0.20m | 5:32PM0.48m | 6:56AM0.18m | 6:18PM0.49m | 7:49AM0.17m | 7:08PM0.49m | 8:53AM0.17m | 8:04PM0.49m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:57PM0.13m | 9:27AM0.18m | 11:48PM0.09m | 9:55AM0.17m | 00:37AM0.05m | 10:27AM0.16m | 1:25AM0.04m | 11:03AM0.14m | 2:14AM0.03m | 11:45AM0.14m | 3:05AM0.04m | 12:36PM0.14m | 3:57AM0.06m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | | | | |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — |
 | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:38 | — | — | 6:38 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — |
mm | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | — | 2 | 4 | — | 1 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
Temp °C | 28 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 |
Feels °C | 31 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 10 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 |
| kJ | 217 | 212 | 179 | 136 | 133 | 98 | 77 | 79 | 161 | 143 | 147 | 136 | 151 | 184 | 187 | 196 | 224 | 175 | 230 | 224 | 182 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | E 15 | ENE 13 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 4 | 16 | 25 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 3 | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 32 | 61 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 0 | 32 | 32 | 7 | 0 | 78 | 7 | 21 | 32 | 7 | 21 | 78 | 7 | 7 | 32 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Limon | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Costa Rica | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Little Shoal Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Little Shoal provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Little Shoal can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Little Shoal 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 (Little Shoal) 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 Little Shoal 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.
Little Shoal is 33 km (20 miles) from the city of Changuinola. If you plan a holiday in Limon, look for hotels and other accommodation in Changuinola. Changuinola has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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