Surf Forecasts:
Playa Samara surf forecast from 15 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 14 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 18s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 16s period, SW swell with 1,123 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 14 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 18s 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 Friday (Aug 14) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Playa Samara in the next 16 days are 1.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) 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 (Fri 14th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Fri 14th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Sat 15th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Samara over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, surfers, Rusty here with the long-range outlook. We’ve got a bit of a slow build-up, but there’s some real quality to be found if you’re patient.
The first proper swell kicks off Friday morning, August 14th, with a clean, solid pulse. The main event is a groundswell pushing in from the southwest, with a long period of 18 seconds that brings proper energy. The water is sitting at 87°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so you’ll be in for a warm one.
The standout of the whole run is Playa Samara on Friday morning, August 14th. It’s a beach and reef setup, exposed to the southwest swell. We’re looking at a 4ft swell from the southwest, but the magic is in the period – 18 seconds – with a clean offshore breeze from the north-northeast only 3 mph. That’s going to line up some nicely shaped, powerful lines. The combined energy is moderate at 919, so there’s enough grunt to get you into some fun ones. For a beginner-friendly spot, this is about as good as it gets here.
Saturday morning, August 15th, the swell bumps up to 5ft from the southwest with a 16-second period. The wind is cross-offshore from the northeast at 6 mph, keeping things clean. The combined energy climbs to 1246, which is strong. This is excellent for experienced surfers, but if you’re a beginner, that 5ft might be pushing your limits. Sunday morning, August 16th, still has some leftovers with a 4ft southwest swell and clean cross-off winds, but the energy is dropping to 832.
There’s a bit of a lull in the middle of the week. Tuesday, August 18th, and Wednesday, August 19th, will see smaller, glassy conditions with 3ft to 3ft swells. The wind goes dead calm on those mornings, so it’s perfect for a longboard or a funboard if you just want to get wet. The energy drops to the moderate 500s, so it’s not going to have much punch.
From Thursday, August 20th, through to Thursday, August 27th, we’re looking at a dry spell. The swells drop to 2ft to 3ft, and while some mornings are glassy, the energy is weak, mostly in the 100 to 300 range. Crowds are possible at times, but with such small waves, it’s mostly a waiting game. The surf is small and inconsistent.
Now, here’s a promising one to keep an eye on. Friday morning, August 28th, we see a new southwest groundswell start to fill in, with 3ft at 17 seconds. The wind is glassy from the east-northeast at 3 mph, and the combined energy jumps to 701. It’s a bit over a week away, so the confidence is lower, but the signs are there for a return to fun, clean waves. Saturday, August 29th, has a similar 4ft swell from the southwest, but the wind gets tricky, so the morning might be the call.
Overall, the best bet is this Friday morning, August 14th, at Playa Samara. After that, the weekend mornings are solid, but the real gem is that first day. The second week looks quiet until the 28th, when we might get another shot of clean groundswell.
Stay patient, keep an eye on that horizon, and I’ll catch you in the lineup.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Sat night. Warm (max 31°C on Sat morning, min 24°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 24mm), heaviest during Tue afternoon. Warm (max 28°C on Tue morning, min 26°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | ||||||||||||||
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 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 10 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
777 | 1050 | 1109 | 991 | 942 | 677 | 606 | 598 | 428 | 434 | 416 | 422 | 346 | 406 | 355 | 305 | 238 | 158 | 176 | 223 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 3:49PM2.69m | 4:17AM2.77m | 4:34PM2.64m | 5:00AM2.76m | 5:18PM2.54m | 5:41AM2.67m | 6:00PM2.40m | 6:22AM2.54m | 6:44PM2.24m | 7:04AM2.38m | 7:29PM2.07m | 7:49AM2.22m | 8:19PM1.91m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:01PM0.00m | 10:28AM0.13m | 10:44PM0.05m | 11:13AM0.17m | 11:25PM0.16m | 11:57AM0.25m | 00:06AM0.30m | 12:40PM0.37m | 00:48AM0.46m | 1:25PM0.51m | 1:31AM0.62m | 2:15PM0.64m | 2:20AM0.76m | |||||||
— | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | |
6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:57 | — | |
mm | 2 | — | — | 1 | 8 | — | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 5 |
Temp °C | 30 | 27 | 31 | 29 | 26 | 29 | 28 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 26 |
Feels °C | 35 | 30 | 35 | 33 | 30 | 33 | 32 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 31 | 33 | 33 | 30 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | SSW 8 | S 8 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 | S 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 10 |
777 | 1050 | 1109 | 991 | 942 | 677 | 606 | 598 | 142 | 164 | 138 | 142 | 178 | 114 | 159 | 159 | 122 | 158 | 176 | 223 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 7 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 |
163 | 178 | 175 | 137 | 216 | 92 | 79 | 99 | 428 | 434 | 416 | 422 | 346 | 406 | 355 | 305 | 238 | 144 | 138 | 84 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | — | — | — | — | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 12 | SW 8 | S 11 | NW 7 | SW 7 | SW 18 | SW 18 | S 12 |
251 | — | — | — | — | 59 | 37 | 37 | 21 | 20 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 48 | 9 | 2 | 23 | 13 | 13 | 12 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 34 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 14 | 9 | 45 | 9 | 9 | 19 | 9 | 9 | 45 | 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.











