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Playa Jaco Surf Forecast
/ Golfo de Nicoya (40 surf breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Playa Jaco surfForecast / Golfo de Nicoya / Costa Rica
12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 5 pm Wednesday 21 Jan 2026 CSTForecast update in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Playa Jaco surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Playa Jaco sea temperature is
29.0° C
(Which is 1.2°C warmer than normal for this time of year)Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Playa Jaco this week:
The surf forecast for Playa Jaco over the next 12 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jan 21) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 11s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Playa Jaco in the next 12 days are 1.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jan 22) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 8s period and expected on Thursday (Jan 22) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Wed 21st Jan) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Wed 21st Jan) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Thu 22nd Jan) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Jaco over the next 12 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range Forecast Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Wed afternoon. Warm (max 28°C on Wed afternoon, min 24°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 3-6 Weather Summary Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Warm (max 28°C on Sat afternoon, min 24°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed 21 | Thursday 22 | Friday 23 | Saturday 24 | Sunday 25 | Monday 26 | Tuesday 27 | |||||||||||||||||
| PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |||
Rating (10 max) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||||
| Wave Height (m) & direction (?) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Period(s) (?) | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | ||
Wave (?)Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ (?) | 223 | 196 | 301 | 264 | 236 | 151 | 109 | 89 | 93 | 123 | 165 | 156 | 154 | 201 | 172 | 129 | 249 | 195 | 181 | 127 | 142 | ||
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wind State (?) onshore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore offshore glassy | cross- on | off | cross- off | cross- on | off | cross- off | cross- on | off | cross- off | cross- on | glass | cross- off | on | off | cross- off | cross- on | cross- off | glass | cross- on | cross- off | glass | ||
High Tide / height (m) | 4:50PM 2.61 | 4:57AM 2.60 | 5:26PM 2.67 | 5:35AM 2.56 | 6:03PM 2.70 | 6:16AM 2.49 | 6:43PM 2.69 | 7:01AM 2.40 | 7:28PM 2.65 | 7:52AM 2.29 | 8:20PM 2.59 | 8:52AM 2.19 | 9:22PM 2.52 | 10:03AM 2.13 | |||||||||
Low Tide / height (m) | 10:53PM 0.45 | 11:09AM 0.25 | 11:33PM 0.43 | 11:45AM 0.28 | 12:14AM 0.43 | 12:23PM 0.34 | 12:59AM 0.45 | 1:06PM 0.42 | 1:50AM 0.49 | 1:56PM 0.51 | 2:48AM 0.54 | 2:55PM 0.61 | 3:55AM 0.56 | ||||||||||
Wed 21 | Thursday 22 | Friday 23 | Saturday 24 | Sunday 25 | Monday 26 | Tuesday 27 | |||||||||||||||||
| Sunrise | - | - | 6:00 | - | - | 6:00 | - | - | 6:00 | - | - | 6:00 | - | - | 6:00 | - | - | 6:00 | - | - | 6:00 | ||
| Sunset | 5:38 | - | - | 5:38 | - | - | 5:39 | - | - | 5:39 | - | - | 5:40 | - | - | 5:40 | - | - | 5:40 | - | - | ||
 |  |  | |  | | |  | | | | |  | | |  | | | | | | |||
Rain (mm) | 2 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| Temp. °C | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 28 | ||
| Feels °C (?) | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | ||
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Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
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FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website
The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Playa Jaco 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 Playa Jaco Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Playa Jaco provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 12 days. A general guide to surfing at Playa Jaco can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Playa Jaco 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 (Playa Jaco) 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 Playa Jaco 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 Playa Jaco, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Golfo de Nicoya, consider staying in Esparza which is 42 km (26 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, Chacarita, Puntarenas and Tejar.
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