
Surf Forecasts:
Playa Negra surf forecast from 24 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 21s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 28 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 18s period, SW swell with 1,741 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 24 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 24s 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 Friday (Jul 24) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 24s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.3m and 4s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Playa Negra in the next 16 days are 1.7m 18s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 11s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 26) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Fri 24th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 24s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 21s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Tue 28th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Negra over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the upcoming stretch. The region is centred on Playa Negra – a consistent beach and point break that handles swell from the west-northwest best. Straight up, the water is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year at 86°, which is noticeable but nothing too wild.
The first worthwhile surf kicks off Friday morning, July 24. We’ve got a clean 3ft SW groundswell rolling in with a long 24-second period, and light cross-off wind from the northeast. The energy is solid moderate (851). It’s not huge, but the quality is there – clean, lined up, and that period means proper waves for those who know what they’re doing. This is a standout window: the morning is the pick, with the afternoon smaller but still clean.
Saturday morning, July 25 keeps the good run going – 3ft SW swell, 21-second period, and light cross-off wind. The energy is strong (905). A solid morning session before the afternoon turns into a risk of thunderstorms and a cross-on wind that messes things up.
Sunday morning, July 26 is another clean one with 4ft SW swell, 19-second period, and cross-off wind. The energy is climbing (978). The afternoon sees a drop in quality with a cross-on breeze and thunderstorm risk.
Now, the real standout for experienced surfers hits Monday morning, July 27. Swell holds at 4ft from the SW, 19 seconds, cross-off wind, and the energy jumps to strong (1337). The conditions are excellent – clean, powerful, and consistent. This is the best of the first week, no question.
Tuesday morning, July 28 pushes the size up to 6ft SW, still 18-second period, and offshore wind. The energy is very strong (1766). This is getting into that expert-only territory – powerful, clean, but not for the faint-hearted. The afternoon is choppy.
Wednesday morning, July 29 is glassy. Absolute glass. 5ft SW swell, 16 seconds, no wind. The energy is strong (1317). This is a dream session for the experienced crew – smooth, clean, and punchy.
After that, the swell slowly drops through the week. Thursday, July 30 morning has 4ft SW, 14 seconds, and cross-off wind – still clean and fun. The energy is moderate (689). From Friday, July 31 onwards, the size drops under 3ft, and the afternoons turn poor with cross-on wind and thunderstorms.
The second week is a bit of a letdown. Saturday, August 1 and Sunday, August 2 have small clean mornings – 3ft and 2ft – but the energy is weak (281 and 246). Not much to get excited about. Monday, August 3 is similar, 3ft, clean morning. By Tuesday, August 4 it’s barely 2ft, and the energy is feeble (154). The mornings are clean, but the waves are ordinary.
The best bet in the second week is Saturday, August 8 morning – a 2ft SW swell with a longer 17-second period, and cross-off wind, giving moderate energy (380). It’s marginal, but it’s the only glimpse of any real quality in that stretch.
So, overall: the standout is Monday, July 27 morning – clean, strong, and consistent for the experienced. The Wednesday, July 29 morning is an absolute glassy treat. After that, it’s slim pickings until the end of the fortnight. The gap between the good stuff and the mediocre is about a week, from August 1 through to August 7, where the mornings are clean but the swell is just too small to get the heart pumping.
Signing off, Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Sun afternoon. Warm (max 31°C on Sat morning, min 25°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Tue night. Warm (max 31°C on Mon morning, min 25°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | |||||||||||||||
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 24 | SW 24 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
661 | 347 | 1015 | 756 | 653 | 1210 | 920 | 1099 | 1199 | 791 | 800 | 1591 | 1741 | 1682 | 1456 | 1317 | 1149 | 856 | 667 | 589 | 485 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-on | off | off | cross-on | off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | on | off |
High Tide | 10:25AM2.02m | 11:07PM1.72m | 11:24AM2.00m | 00:08AM1.74m | 12:21PM2.03m | 1:04AM1.81m | 1:12PM2.09m | 1:52AM1.90m | 1:59PM2.16m | 2:35AM2.01m | 2:41PM2.23m | 3:15AM2.12m | 3:20PM2.28m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:03PM0.69m | 5:03AM0.80m | 6:02PM0.66m | 6:03AM0.78m | 6:56PM0.59m | 6:58AM0.73m | 7:43PM0.51m | 7:47AM0.66m | 8:25PM0.43m | 8:31AM0.59m | 9:03PM0.35m | 9:13AM0.53m | 9:38PM0.31m | ||||||||
5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | |
— | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | |
mm | — | 1 | 5 | — | 2 | — | — | 5 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 3 | 5 | — | 2 | — | — | 2 | — |
Temp °C | 30 | 30 | 26 | 31 | 28 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 26 | 31 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 31 | 28 | 27 |
Feels °C | 31 | 33 | 29 | 35 | 30 | 29 | 33 | 33 | 28 | 35 | 32 | 29 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 35 | 31 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 8 | SW 8 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
133 | 60 | 1015 | 756 | 653 | 1210 | 920 | 1099 | 1199 | 546 | 532 | 1591 | 1741 | 1682 | 1456 | 1317 | 1149 | 856 | 667 | 589 | 485 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 24 | S 7 | SSW 8 | SW 8 | SW 12 | SW 11 | S 8 | S 8 | S 10 | SW 19 | SW 19 | S 9 | S 11 | S 9 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | N 4 | SSW 6 |
661 | 36 | 103 | 55 | 142 | 101 | 41 | 33 | 94 | 791 | 800 | 40 | 87 | 40 | 61 | 56 | 56 | 13 | 13 | 3 | 13 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 24 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SW 11 | S 10 | NW 4 | S 10 | S 10 | WSW 10 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | — | — | — | S 10 | W 11 | W 11 | WNW 11 |
57 | 347 | 52 | 94 | 85 | 114 | 58 | 32 | 5 | 66 | 67 | 20 | 25 | 25 | — | — | — | 8 | 9 | 21 | 22 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | N 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 5 | — | NNE 4 |
— | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | — | 6 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 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.










