
Surf Forecasts:
Playa Negra surf forecast from 29 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 29 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 15s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 29 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 16s period, SW swell with 1,149 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 29 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 15s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Playa Negra this week:
The surf forecast for Playa Negra over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 29) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 15s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Playa Negra in the next 16 days are 1.6m 16s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 29) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 30) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Wed 29th Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Wed 29th Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Wed 29th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Negra over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, let's take a look at what’s shaping up for Playa Negra over the next couple of weeks.
First up, the water is sitting at a balmy 86°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. So you might not even need a spring suit.
We’ve got a solid run of surf kicking off right away. The big news is Wednesday morning, July 29th. The swell is coming in at 5ft from the SW, with a very long 16-second period, and the combined energy is a strong 1232. That’s some serious groundswell. The wind is a light 9 mph cross-off from the NE, keeping things clean. This is the standout session of the whole outlook – excellent conditions for experienced surfers, but the size and power make it a no-go for beginners. The 16-second period means longer waits between sets, but the waves will have real shape and power, and paddling out will be easier between the bombs. This is a point and beach setup, so the long period will work nicely here.
The wind switches onshore by Wednesday afternoon, so get your session in early.
Thursday morning, July 30th, we drop to 4ft, still a nice 14-second period from the SW (675 energy). The wind is a stronger 16 mph offshore from the ENE, which will groom the waves beautifully. This is a very close second for the best wave of the period – clean, offshore, and punchy.
We see a steady drop in size through the end of July and into the first week of August. Friday and Saturday mornings are still fun with some clean offshore or cross-off winds, but the swell gets smaller. There's a bit of a lull from Sunday afternoon through most of the next week, with heights dropping to 1ft to 2ft. The combined energy dips into the low hundreds, even getting down to 83 – that’s weak. Nothing to get excited about, just small, ordinary waves.
Now, the second week shows some promise starting Friday, August 7th. The swell picks back up to 2ft to 3ft, but the period jumps up again. Friday afternoon, August 7th, is a real treat: 3ft from the SSW, a very long 17-second period, and glassy conditions with no wind. The combined energy jumps to 540. It’s only small in height, but the long-period groundswell will produce some tidy lines on the point.
Then Tuesday morning, August 11th, we get a strong pulse: 3ft from the SW with a 20-second period and a combined energy of 674. The wind is a 9 mph offshore from the E. That’s a special window of clean, super long-period swell. The 20-second period means the waves will be lined up and walled, best ridden on the point.
Wednesday morning, August 12th, is another clean one with a moderate offshore breeze and solid 17-second period (567 energy). Thursday morning, August 13th, also looks good with a clean cross-off and a 16-second period (553 energy). These two are solid.
Crowds are listed as "sometimes" here, so on the standout days, especially the Wednesday morning and the Friday afternoon in the second week, expect a few other keen locals to be out.
So, for the best on offer: Wednesday morning, July 29th, is the clear winner for size and quality – 5ft, 16-second groundswell, clean. For the second week, Friday afternoon, August 7th and Tuesday morning, August 11th are the ones to circle – smaller but glassy or offshore with that really long-period energy. The rest of the time is a mix of small waves or onshore chop.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Warm (max 32°C on Thu morning, min 26°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 41mm), heaviest during Mon night. Warm (max 32°C on Sat morning, min 24°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1194 | 1149 | 856 | 667 | 589 | 485 | 357 | 342 | 326 | 238 | 234 | 147 | 108 | 171 | 167 | 231 | 208 | 111 | 91 | 73 | 73 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | on | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-on | off | glassy | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 2:41PM2.23m | 3:15AM2.12m | 3:20PM2.28m | 3:52AM2.22m | 3:58PM2.30m | 4:27AM2.30m | 4:35PM2.29m | 5:02AM2.35m | 5:11PM2.26m | 5:37AM2.38m | 5:50PM2.20m | 6:15AM2.39m | 6:30PM2.13m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:03PM0.35m | 9:13AM0.53m | 9:38PM0.31m | 9:52AM0.48m | 10:12PM0.28m | 10:30AM0.44m | 10:46PM0.28m | 11:08AM0.42m | 11:19PM0.30m | 11:47AM0.42m | 11:55PM0.34m | 12:29PM0.43m | 00:34AM0.39m | ||||||||
5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | |
— | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | 5 | — | 7 | 26 | — | 2 | 1 |
Temp °C | 31 | 30 | 28 | 32 | 32 | 28 | 31 | 30 | 28 | 32 | 31 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 26 | 30 | 29 | 26 | 31 | 31 | 27 |
Feels °C | 34 | 34 | 30 | 33 | 34 | 30 | 35 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 28 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 34 | 32 | 30 | 35 | 35 | 30 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 15 | S 7 | SW 14 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | S 8 |
1194 | 1149 | 856 | 667 | 589 | 485 | 357 | 342 | 326 | 238 | 234 | 147 | 108 | 171 | 37 | 231 | 71 | 67 | 91 | 69 | 88 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 10 | S 7 | S 7 | N 4 | S 6 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | S 12 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 11 | SW 12 | S 7 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
56 | 56 | 23 | 15 | 3 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 72 | 66 | 124 | 104 | 103 | 118 | 49 | 208 | 111 | 83 | 73 | 73 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 11 | — | — | W 10 | W 10 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | NNW 4 | WNW 11 | WNW 12 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | SW 14 | WSW 13 | SW 16 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 12 |
38 | — | — | 8 | 8 | 25 | 25 | 4 | 24 | 46 | 16 | 15 | 24 | 33 | 167 | 69 | 66 | 84 | 64 | 61 | 22 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | N 4 | NE 4 | — | NNE 4 | NNE 5 | — | NNE 4 | NNE 3 | N 5 | NNE 5 | NNE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | N 5 | — | NNE 4 |
— | — | 9 | 13 | — | 6 | 9 | — | 7 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | 11 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Guanacaste | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Costa Rica | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Playa Negra Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Playa Negra provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Playa Negra can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Playa Negra 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 Negra) 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 Negra 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.
Playa Negra is 41 km (25 miles) from Nicoya. If you plan a holiday in Guanacaste, look for hotels and other accommodation in Nicoya. Nicoya has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










