
Surf Forecasts:
Playa Samara surf forecast from 8 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 10 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 18s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 10 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 18s period, SW swell with 1,087 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 7 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 13s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Playa Samara this week:
The surf forecast for Playa Samara over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Playa Samara in the next 16 days are 1.3m 18s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Thu 10th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Thu 10th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Samara over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty. Let's take a look at what's coming up for Playa Samara.
The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag, but there are a few windows that are going to be well worth the paddle out. The water is a balmy 87° here, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so you can leave the spring suit at home.
The first real standout is Thursday morning, September 10th. We’ve got a solid 4ft swell rolling in from the SW with a nice long period of 17 seconds. That swell is carrying some serious energy (1045), and with the wind going glassy out of the NE, it’s going to be clean as a whistle. This is one for the experienced crew though – that size and power on a beach-and-reef setup means it’s not a beginner’s game. The water temperature anomaly is only mentioned for the first break, so we’ll leave it at that.
The following morning, Friday September 11th, is also looking sweet. It’s a touch smaller at 4ft from the SW, but the period is still a solid 16 seconds and the energy is moderate (743). Again, glassy conditions with a light ENE breeze. Expect very good surf.
After that, things settle down a bit. The mornings from Saturday the 12th through to Monday the 14th are still glassy, but the swell drops off to 2ft - 2ft. The energy is weak (315-349), so it’s small, clean fun but nothing to get too excited about.
We get a little bump of energy again on Tuesday morning, September 15th with a 2ft, 18-second SW groundswell, but the energy is still moderate (510). The real highlight in the second week is Wednesday morning, September 16th. It’s not big, but it’s a clean 3ft from the SW with a 16-second period and a zero wind glass-off. The energy is moderate (623) and it’s perfectly set up for a morning session.
The following week tails off a bit. There are a few more mornings with glassy conditions, like Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th, but the swell is small (2ft - 3ft) and the energy is weak. The standout for the end of the run is Sunday morning, September 20th and Monday morning, September 21st. Both mornings have clean winds and a 3ft - 3ft swell from the SW with good energy (622 and 747). The swell on the 20th has a very long period of 19 seconds, which is a proper groundswell, so look for it to wrap into the points and reefs better than the beach.
Overall, the best bet is Thursday the 10th if you’ve got the skills, and Wednesday the 16th for a clean, fun session. The afternoon storms are a daily thing, so get out there early.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 19mm), heaviest on Wed afternoon. Warm (max 30°C on Mon morning, min 25°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Thu afternoon. Warm (max 30°C on Thu morning, min 25°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | |||||||||||||||
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 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 19 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
500 | 357 | 286 | 249 | 224 | 302 | 302 | 581 | 871 | 974 | 728 | 719 | 701 | 550 | 459 | 346 | 341 | 212 | 171 | 138 | 234 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | on | glassy | cross | cross-on | off | cross | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | off | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross |
High Tide | 10:50AM2.25m | 11:39PM2.13m | 12:02PM2.32m | 00:44AM2.31m | 1:04PM2.42m | 1:38AM2.49m | 1:57PM2.52m | 2:25AM2.64m | 2:45PM2.58m | 3:08AM2.73m | 3:29PM2.60m | 3:49AM2.76m | 4:10PM2.57m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:21PM0.50m | 5:46AM0.59m | 6:26PM0.39m | 6:52AM0.46m | 7:21PM0.27m | 7:48AM0.31m | 8:09PM0.17m | 8:37AM0.19m | 8:54PM0.12m | 9:22AM0.12m | 9:35PM0.11m | 10:03AM0.10m | 10:15PM0.16m | ||||||||
5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | |
— | 5:46 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:44 | — | |
mm | — | 2 | — | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | 8 | 1 | — | 3 | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | 4 | 2 | — | 8 | 7 |
Temp °C | 30 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 27 |
Feels °C | 34 | 34 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | S 9 | S 8 |
500 | 357 | 286 | 249 | 199 | 302 | 302 | 581 | 871 | 974 | 728 | 719 | 701 | 550 | 459 | 346 | 341 | 212 | 171 | 74 | 88 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 6 | WSW 6 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 12 | SW 12 | W 10 | SSW 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 7 | S 7 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | SW 13 | SW 13 |
66 | 26 | 155 | 246 | 224 | 114 | 116 | 52 | 40 | 51 | 71 | 66 | 33 | 39 | 41 | 64 | 56 | 53 | 74 | 138 | 134 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 19 | S 6 | S 6 | W 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | SW 19 | SW 20 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | SSW 19 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | SW 18 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 16 | SW 19 |
96 | 21 | 20 | 84 | 39 | 37 | 234 | 134 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 9 | 37 | 10 | 9 | 80 | 71 | 70 | 68 | 234 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 9 | 52 | 9 | 16 | 52 | 9 | 14 | 43 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 103 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 16 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Golfo de Nicoya | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Costa Rica | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Playa Samara Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Playa Samara provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Playa Samara can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Playa Samara 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 Samara) 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 Samara 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 Samara is 31 km (19 miles) from Nicoya. If you plan a holiday in Golfo de Nicoya, 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.










