
Surf Forecasts:
Papagayo - Playa Blanca surf forecast from 26 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 1 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 7s period, N swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 8s period, N swell with 412 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 1 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 7s period with N swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Papagayo - Playa Blanca this week:
The surf forecast for Papagayo - Playa Blanca over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 01) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Papagayo - Playa Blanca in the next 16 days are 1.8m 8s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 30) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (WEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Sat 1st Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Sat 1st Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Sun 26th Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Papagayo - Playa Blanca over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s coming for the next couple of weeks.
First off, it’s a rough start. The first week is a total write-off. From Sunday, July 26th, through to Friday, July 31st, we’re looking at a solid block of ‘poor surf conditions’. There’s a persistent north wind, blowing a fresh cross-offshore breeze across the whole area. Even though there’s some swell in the water – like a 6ft north swell on Sunday afternoon with moderate energy (489) – it’s just not going to be clean. You’d be wasting your time.
We finally get a little break on Saturday, August 1st. The wind drops to glassy early in the morning. The swell is a small 4ft from the north, with moderate energy (206). The report says it’s "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions," so it’s not a classic, but it’s the best we’ve seen all week. The water temperature is about 72°, which is typical for this time of year.
The one to really watch is Papagayo - Playa Blanca (reef) on Wednesday, August 5th. The afternoon brings a solid 6ft north swell with moderate energy (394), and the wind finally turns light offshore from the northeast. That’s the clean-up we’ve been waiting for. The period is only 8 seconds, so it’s a shorter-period wind swell, but with offshore wind on a reef, it could be a fun little session. Just remember this spot is inconsistent, so it’s not a sure thing, but it’s the best option by a long shot.
The rest of the second week looks like more of the same – plenty of north wind and cross-offshore conditions. Thursday morning, August 6th, has a tiny 1ft swell with a long 11-second period (88 energy), but it’s too small to bother with. Friday morning, August 7th, has a 5ft north swell (442 energy), but the wind is up again.
So, your best bets are the early glassy session on August 1st for a tiny wave, or the afternoon of August 5th when that offshore wind kicks in. It’s a quiet run, but there’s a little something to aim for. Keep an eye on the wind.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sun afternoon, min 19°C on Tue night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Fri morning, min 20°C on Wed morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NNE on Wed morning, calm by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | |||||||||||||||
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) | S 14 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | N 6 | N 8 | NW 10 | NW 10 | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | WNW 9 | N 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
4 | 476 | 346 | 291 | 217 | 187 | 160 | 156 | 117 | 92 | 23 | 28 | 25 | 89 | 112 | 156 | 181 | 161 | 111 | 98 | 72 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 12:39PM1.96m | 1:04AM1.88m | 1:20PM2.09m | 1:42AM1.98m | 1:56PM2.22m | 2:16AM2.07m | 2:30PM2.32m | 2:49AM2.14m | 3:02PM2.40m | 3:21AM2.18m | 3:33PM2.43m | 3:53AM2.19m | 4:05PM2.43m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:56PM0.62m | 7:02AM0.61m | 7:35PM0.51m | 7:39AM0.50m | 8:10PM0.41m | 8:13AM0.41m | 8:43PM0.33m | 8:45AM0.35m | 9:15PM0.28m | 9:16AM0.31m | 9:46PM0.26m | 9:48AM0.31m | 10:18PM0.27m | ||||||||
7:11 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | |
— | 8:50 | — | — | 8:50 | — | — | 8:49 | — | — | 8:47 | — | — | 8:47 | — | — | 8:46 | — | — | 8:45 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 25 | 24 | 23 |
Feels °C | 17 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 27 | 26 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | N 12 | NNW 11 | NNW 10 | N 8 | NW 10 | NW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 |
4 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 23 | 32 | 23 | 28 | 25 | 19 | 9 | 8 | 31 | 161 | 111 | 92 | 72 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 14 | S 14 | NW 10 | S 13 | S 13 | N 14 | N 13 | WNW 8 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | N 11 | N 9 | N 12 | N 11 | N 11 | N 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 |
4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 7 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 68 | 88 | 98 | 71 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | NW 9 | — | NW 9 | W 13 | NW 12 | NW 8 | NW 8 | N 11 | — | N 12 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | W 12 | N 10 | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 |
— | — | — | 3 | — | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 10 | — | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | N 6 | N 6 | N 5 | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 | N 7 | NNE 7 | — | — | — |
588 | 476 | 346 | 291 | 217 | 187 | 160 | 156 | 117 | 92 | 67 | 70 | 86 | 89 | 112 | 156 | 181 | 42 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 301 | 195 | 232 | 195 | 195 | 3 | 195 | 232 | 3 | 301 | 1445 | 397 | 426 | 548 | 3 | 232 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Lanzarote | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Spain (Africa) | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Papagayo - Playa Blanca Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Papagayo - Playa Blanca provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Papagayo - Playa Blanca can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Papagayo - Playa Blanca 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 (Papagayo - Playa Blanca) 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 Papagayo - Playa Blanca 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.










