Playa Negra Surf Break

Lat Long: 10.18° N 85.82° W

Playa Negra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 am 28 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Playa Negra sea temperature is
29.8° C
1.8° 

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 29 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 28 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 16s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 28 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 16s period, SW swell with 1,474 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 28 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 16s 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 Tuesday (Jul 28) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 16s 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 1.7m 16s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 7s period and expected on Monday (Aug 03) at 9PM.

Wave TypeTime (CST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9PM (Tue 28th Jul)5.5ft (1.7m) 16s
Best Surf 9PM (Tue 28th Jul)5.5ft (1.7m) 16s
Most Powerful 9PM (Tue 28th Jul)5.5ft (1.7m) 16s

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


The Lowdown

Hey folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up for Playa Negra.

We’ve got a solid run of surf ahead, starting with a standout Tuesday morning. The water’s a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 86°.

Alright, let’s get into it. The best bet, and the one to really circle on your calendar, is Tuesday, July 28th morning. Playa Negra is firing with a clean 6 ft swell from the SW, with a very long period of 18 seconds. That’s proper groundswell, packing a ton of energy (1766). The wind is a light cross-offshore breeze from the ENE, meaning the face will be glassy and clean. This is top-tier for experienced surfers, but that long period will make the sets a bit more spaced out, so paddle-outs should be easier. The crowd factor is a possibility here, so get out early.

Tuesday afternoon takes a turn. A storm risk and a cross-on SSW wind chops things up, making it pretty ordinary. Give it a miss.

Wednesday, July 29th morning is another good one. Still a solid 5 ft SW swell, 16-second period, and the same light NE cross-offshore wind. The wave energy is still strong (1232). Clean, lined-up waves for the advanced crew.

Thursday, July 30th morning brings a change. The swell drops to 4 ft from the SW, period dropping to 14 seconds, but the wind goes clean offshore from the ENE at 12 mph. The energy is moderate (705), but it’ll be a fun, clean day.

From Friday, July 31st through the weekend, the swell backs off. Morning windows are still worth a look, with clean conditions and waist-high waves, but the afternoons get chopped by onshore wind. The standout early morning is Sunday, August 2nd. The swell is only 2 ft from the SW, but the wind is glassy, dead calm. It’s small, but it will be perfectly smooth.

Looking into the second week, the size never really gets back up. There are a few clean mornings, like Monday, August 3rd morning with a 3 ft SW swell and calm glassy conditions, and Tuesday, August 4th morning with a small 3 ft SSW bump. The wind stays favorable for the most part, but the wave heights are small. There’s a brief uptick in energy around Sunday, August 9th, with a clean 3 ft SW swell and a solid offshore breeze, but nothing compared to that opening Tuesday.

Overall, the first Tuesday morning is the absolute highlight. After that, expect smaller, cleaner morning sessions, with the afternoons mostly blown out. The gap between the big Tuesday and the next decent morning is about three days of smaller surf.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 32°C on Thu morning, min 25°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 26mm), heaviest during Fri night. Warm (max 32°C on Sat morning, min 25°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Tuesday
28
Wednesday
29
Thursday
30
Friday
31
Saturday
1
Sunday
2
Monday
3
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
4
1
4
4
2
3
3
2
3
2
0
2
2
0
2
2
0
2
2
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.7
SW
18
1.7
SW
17
1.7
SW
16
1.6
SW
16
1.6
SW
16
1.4
SW
15
1.3
SW
14
1.2
SW
14
1.1
SW
14
1
SW
14
1
SW
13
1
SW
13
0.9
SW
13
0.9
SW
13
0.7
SW
12
0.6
SW
15
0.6
SW
15
0.6
SW
14
0.8
SW
14
0.8
SW
13
0.5
SW
13
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1741
1682
1456
1194
1149
856
667
589
485
357
342
326
238
234
147
134
171
167
231
208
84
Wind (km/h)
10
ENE
15
SSW
5
E
10
NE
10
WSW
15
ENE
20
ENE
10
S
15
ENE
15
ENE
15
SW
5
E
15
NE
15
SW
15
SE
5
NE
15
SW
5
SE
0
SW
10
WSW
5
SE
Wind State
cross-off
cross-on
glassy
cross-off
on
cross-off
off
cross
off
off
cross-on
off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
glassy
glassy
cross-on
glassy
High Tide
1:59PM2.16m
2:35AM2.01m
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
Low Tide
8:25PM0.43m
8:31AM0.59m
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
part cloud
thunderstorm
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:31
5:31
5:31
5:31
5:31
5:31
5:31
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:07
6:07
6:07
6:06
6:06
6:06
6:05
 mm
2
1
6
6
6
4
3
1
5
6
Temp °C
31
29
27
31
29
27
32
30
28
30
30
28
32
29
27
31
29
27
29
28
27
Feels °C
34
31
31
34
32
30
34
33
30
32
33
32
36
32
30
35
32
32
32
32
31
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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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