Playa Negra Surf Break

Lat Long: 10.18° N 85.82° W

Playa Negra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 am 17 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Playa Negra sea temperature is
30.2° C
2.1° 

Playa Negra surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Playa Negra surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s period, SW swell with 539 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 17 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 14s 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 Monday (Aug 17) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 14s 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 1.1m 16s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 11s period and expected on Friday (Aug 21) at 6AM.

Wave TypeTime (CST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9PM (Mon 17th Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 14s
Best Surf 9PM (Tue 18th Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 16s
Most Powerful 9PM (Tue 18th Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 16s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Negra over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for Playa Negra over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a solid run of surf starting Monday the 17th. The water is sitting at a toasty 86°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – a good 4° above average, so you can leave the steamer at home. The first day is the standout of the whole run. Monday morning at Playa Negra is seeing a clean 4ft swell from the SW with a long 14-second period, and the combined energy is a solid moderate 428. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the NE, setting up nice lines. But the real magic is Monday afternoon: the wind goes glassy, the energy bumps up to 500, and the waves are just super clean. That’s your best bet for the entire forecast.

Tuesday the 18th is still fun, with a clean 3ft to 4ft SW swell, but the wind is a bit stronger cross-offshore in the morning. By Tuesday afternoon, we get a proper offshore breeze from the E at 9 mph, making for some nice, clean walls. Wednesday the 19th stays similar with 3ft SW swell and clean conditions both morning and afternoon, though the energy drops a little.

From Thursday the 20th through to Saturday the 23rd, the swell drops off noticeably. We’re looking at waves between 1ft and 2ft, and the energy dips into the double digits and low hundreds. Thursday afternoon and Friday get messy with cross-onshore wind, so not worth paddling out. Saturday morning the 22nd offers a brief clean-up with a gentle offshore and 2ft waves, but it’s small.

Sunday the 23rd and Monday the 24th see a slight bump in energy, with a longer period of 18-19 seconds, but the swell is still only 2ft to 2ft. The mornings are clean with offshore winds, but those long-period swells can turn a bit wonky at a beach setup. They’re better for the point at Playa Negra, so keep that in mind.

Now, the real second act kicks off on Thursday the 27th of August. The morning brings a pulse of 4ft from the SSW, but the period is a short 7 seconds, which is a bit junky and weak. The wind is clean offshore, though. The next big standout is Saturday the 29th of August. We’ve got a solid 4ft to 4ft SW groundswell with a 16-17 second period, and the energy is cranking at 916. The wind is light offshore, and the conditions are clean all day. That’s a serious session.

And then we top it off on Sunday the 30th of August. The morning is firing with 5ft of SW swell at 16 seconds, and the energy is pumping at 1470. That’s a strong, powerful swell, and with a gentle offshore breeze from the E, the waves will be lined up and clean. This is getting into expert territory though – 5ft with that kind of energy is no joke for beginners. The next morning on Monday the 31st is still pumping at 5ft, and Tuesday the 1st of September follows with another clean morning of 4ft.

So, if you’ve got to pick your moments, Monday the 17th afternoon is the glassy gem of the first week, and Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th are the big, powerful standouts in the second week. Expect crowds at Playa Negra sometimes, especially on those good days.

Stay stoked, catch you in the water.

Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 21mm), heaviest during Mon afternoon. Warm (max 31°C on Tue morning, min 25°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Fri afternoon. Warm (max 32°C on Sat morning, min 25°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Monday
17
Tuesday
18
Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
3
2
1
2
3
2
2
2
1
0
1
1
0
1
1
1
1
2
1
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.1
SW
14
1.1
SW
14
1.1
SW
14
1.1
SW
14
1
SW
14
1.1
SW
16
0.9
SW
15
0.9
SW
14
0.8
SW
14
0.7
SW
13
0.6
SW
13
0.5
SW
13
0.4
SW
15
0.4
SW
15
0.5
SW
14
0.5
SW
14
0.6
SW
14
0.4
SW
20
0.5
SW
19
0.6
SW
18
0.7
SW
18
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
428
500
410
428
395
539
355
350
238
183
138
83
76
54
102
95
155
97
184
260
327
Wind (km/h)
10
NE
5
WNW
10
ENE
15
ENE
15
E
15
ENE
15
ENE
5
ENE
10
ENE
10
ENE
10
WSW
5
E
10
NE
15
SW
0
ENE
15
ENE
10
SSW
10
ENE
15
ENE
10
SSW
15
ENE
Wind State
cross-off
glassy
off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
off
off
off
cross-on
off
cross-off
cross-on
glassy
off
cross-on
off
off
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
6:01PM2.29m
6:23AM2.44m
6:44PM2.14m
7:05AM2.29m
7:29PM1.98m
7:50AM2.14m
8:18PM1.83m
8:41AM2.01m
9:17PM1.72m
9:41AM1.93m
10:26PM1.67m
10:47AM1.90m
11:36PM1.70m
Low Tide
11:57AM0.25m
00:07AM0.28m
12:41PM0.36m
00:48AM0.43m
1:27PM0.49m
1:31AM0.58m
2:16PM0.61m
2:20AM0.71m
3:14PM0.71m
3:17AM0.81m
4:20PM0.75m
4:24AM0.86m
5:27PM0.74m
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thunderstorm
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thunderstorm
thunderstorm
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part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
part cloud
thunderstorm
clear
part cloud
thunderstorm
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<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:33
5:33
5:33
5:33
5:33
5:33
5:33
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:00
6:00
5:59
5:59
5:58
5:58
5:57
 mm
5
6
1
7
2
1
5
4
2
3
3
Temp °C
30
30
26
31
28
26
27
29
26
31
28
26
31
29
27
32
29
27
32
29
27
Feels °C
34
34
31
32
31
28
29
32
29
35
31
29
34
32
32
36
33
30
35
32
29
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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