Playa Samara Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a long-range look at Playa Samara (Costa Rica), and the next 16 days are a real mixed bag of small, clean windows and periods you’d be better off sitting out. The good news? There’s something to chase, but patience is gonna be key.

Right now, water temps are running about average for the time of year, so no surprises there. The highlight of the whole run is shaping up to be Saturday, 29th August morning. Swell is pushing 5ft from the SW with a solid 16-second period – that’s proper groundswell, bringing heaps of energy (1136). Wind is glassy from the NNE, so the surface will be clean as a whistle. This is excellent for experienced surfers, no doubt about it. The SW direction is exactly what this exposed beach-and-reef setup wants. Just be aware, with energy that strong and a long period, it’ll be a bit more powerful than usual – a proper paddle-out.

The week leading up to that is mostly small and inconsistent. Tuesday and Wednesday (25th/26th) have tiny 2ft to 2ft swell with glassy windows in the mornings, but it’s mostly beginner-friendly stuff. Thursday 27th morning stays clean with glassy wind and 1ft swell, but energy is weak (266). Friday 28th morning sees a bump to 3ft with clean cross-off wind, but the energy is now moderate (794) – still, it’s surfable but nothing to write home about.

After the Saturday standout, Sunday 30th morning is still a decent option. 5ft swell from the SW, 14-second period, and clean cross-off wind from the east. Energy is high (945) and the waves will have good shape. Monday 31st morning drops down to 4ft, but clean cross-off wind keeps it rideable.

Then we hit a bit of a lull from Tuesday 1st September through Thursday 3rd. Swell drops to 2ft to 3ft, and most sessions are marginal with onshore or cross-on wind and risk of thunderstorms. Not worth getting excited about.

But hold on – Friday 4th September morning brings a real spike. 5ft swell from the SW, 18-second period, and absolutely dead calm, glassy conditions. Energy is through the roof (1796) – that’s strong to very strong wave energy. This is another excellent window for experienced surfers. The long period will make the waves feel meaty, and the reef here will love that direction.

Saturday 5th September morning is also a beauty: 6ft SW swell, 16-second period, glassy ENE wind, and energy at 1478. Another top-tier session. The 6th and 7th start to taper off, but mornings remain glassy with 4ft to 4ft swell – still fun for a paddle.

The last real standout is Wednesday 9th September morning. 2ft swell might sound small, but with an 18-second period, 578 energy, and clean cross-off wind from the NE, it’ll be surprisingly well-shaped and fun on the reef.

Overall, the best on offer is the Saturday 29th August morning, followed closely by the Friday 4th and Saturday 5th September mornings. Don’t sleep on the mid-week windows either – the glassy mornings punch above their weight here.

Rusty

Read more