National Park Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get to it.

First up, the outlook for this stretch. Honestly, for the next week or so, we’re looking at a pretty flat, pretty ordinary run of things. There’s surf on the table, but it’s small and the conditions are all over the place. The real story here is the back half of the forecast, about a week and a half out. That’s where things get proper. We’ve got a serious pulse of energy building, and a couple of those days look like they could be the best we’ve seen in a while. So, if you can wait, do it. If you’re itching for a wave now, you’ll find something, but you’ll have to work for it.

Let’s start with this morning, Sunday the 9th. It’s glassy out at National Park (Costa Rica), with the water temp sitting at 68.4°, which is just a touch cooler than usual for this time of year. Not a big deal, but you might want a light spring suit. The swell is small, around 3.2ft, coming from the east with a 9-second period. The energy is weak, sitting at 198. It’s surfable, but there’s no push to it. You’ll be hunting for the little ones. This afternoon, a gentle northeasterly breeze kicks up a bit of cross-chop, but it’s nothing crazy. Still, it’s not doing the waves any favors.

Monday the 10th is pretty much a write-off. The morning is chopped up from a northerly breeze, and the afternoon brings a cross-onshore wind with a possible thunderstorm. The swell bumps up a touch to 4.9ft, but it’s a short-period, wind-affected mess. Not worth the paddle.

Tuesday the 11th, the swell drops right off. The morning is a tiny 2.3ft, and the afternoon cleans up a little with a light cross-offshore breeze. Energy is weak, around 96. There’s a wave, but it’s small and pretty gutless. A longboard might be fun for a bit, but it’s nothing to get excited about.

From Wednesday the 12th through Friday the 14th, the swell just fades away. We’re talking head-high at best, and most of it is under a meter. The winds are all over the place, with some clean windows here and there, like Friday afternoon when the offshore breeze kicks in, but the swell is just too small to make the most of it. The energy values are in the low double digits, which tells you how weak it is. This is the flat spell, and it lasts for a few days.

The weekend of the 16th and 17th sees a bit of a pulse, but it’s short-period stuff. The wind is howling offshore, which will make the surface clean, but the swell is junky. We’re looking at 4.9ft to 5.9ft with a period of 6-7 seconds. There’s no love in that. It’ll be lumpy and sectiony. Save your energy.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting.

Monday the 18th. Look, the energy readings on this day are massive. We’re talking 850 to 892, which is strong, very strong. The swell is up to 8.2ft, with a period of 8-9 seconds, coming from the east. The wind is offshore, moderate, and clean. This is the standout. It’s a big day, and for National Park, with its point break setup, this is where it shines. This is solidly in the expert zone—over 8ft—and it’s going to be powerful. Expect very good surf. If you’re experienced, this is the one.

Tuesday the 19th stays big, with 6.6ft to 7.2ft of east-southeast swell. The wind is still offshore and clean. It’s still solid, but the size drops a notch. It’s a good day, but the Monday got the cream.

Now, Thursday the 20th. This is the true standout. The swell is back up to 8.2ft, and the energy readings are in the 1200s, which is as strong as you’ll see in a forecast. The period stretches to 9-10 seconds, and the morning has a cross-offshore wind that cleans up into a perfect, moderate offshore breeze in the afternoon. The comment in the data says it’s excellent for experienced surfers. This is it. This is the day to clear your schedule. It’s over 8ft, so it’s expert territory for sure, but it’s going to be world-class if the direction holds. This is a full week from today, so keep an eye on it.

Friday the 21st is still pumping, with 6.9ft of east swell. The morning is glassy, which is a huge positive. The energy is still strong, in the 800s. The afternoon gets a bit of a cross-shore breeze, but the morning window looks fantastic. It’s a great follow-up day.

After that, it starts to back off. The weekend of the 23rd and 24th still has some fun

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