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★+): Tuesday 8 Sep, 9AM (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 Tuesday (Sep 08) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 18s. 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 cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Tue 8th 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 folks, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next couple of weeks for our local stretch. The standout here is Playa Samara, a beach and reef setup that's exposed to the SSW swell. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing to write home about.
We’ve got a bit of a wait for the first real highlight. The best of the early action kicks off on the morning of Tuesday, the 10th of September. There’s a clean 4ft swell rolling in from the SW, and with glassy, offshore winds from the ENE, it’s going to be a beautiful morning. The wave energy is solid, pushing into the moderately strong range (1043), and the period is a nice long 17 seconds, which means proper groundswell with some real shape. This one’s for the experienced crew – it’s a bit much for beginners.
The morning of Friday, the 11th of September, is another solid shout. You’re looking at 4ft from the SW with a 16-second period. The winds are glassy out of the NE, so it’ll be clean. The overall energy (753) is still good, but it’s a tick down from the Tuesday peak. Still, a very good morning in the water.
After that, things get a bit mixed with risk of thunderstorms and onshore winds creeping in for the afternoons. The mornings on the 12th and 14th of September offer some clean windows, but the swell drops off to around 3ft and then 1ft, making it less of a standout.
The real second act comes in the final week. On the morning of Sunday, the 20th of September, we get a 3ft SW swell with a very long 19-second period and glassy conditions. The energy (721) is right back up there. Then, the morning of Monday, the 21st of September, is also glassy with a 3ft, 18-second SW swell (637).
But the one to circle on the calendar for the long-range is the morning of Tuesday, the 22nd of September. A 5ft swell from the W, but with a short period of only 9 seconds. The wind is completely calm, making it glassy. The energy is strong (851). This is a promising setup, but remember, it’s a couple of weeks out, so keep an eye on it. The shorter period means it might be a bit lumpy and less organized than a proper groundswell, but with those clean conditions, it could still be a fun, punchy wave.
The bottom line: the 10th of September morning is the true standout. The 22nd of September is a long-range, promising wildcard.
Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Wed afternoon. Warm (max 30°C on Wed morning, min 26°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 29mm), heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 30°C on Fri morning, min 26°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | |||||||||||||||
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 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 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 249 | 224 | 302 | 302 | 314 | 871 | 974 | 728 | 719 | 701 | 485 | 398 | 346 | 341 | 215 | 140 | 138 | 299 | 125 | 246 | 379 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | on | off | cross | on | glassy | glassy | on | cross-off | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross |
High Tide | 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 | 4:28AM2.72m | 4:50PM2.49m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 10:43AM0.14m | 10:53PM0.24m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | |  | | | | | | | |
 | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — |
 | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:43 | — |
mm | — | 3 | — | — | 8 | 2 | — | 3 | 1 | — | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
Temp °C | 29 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 |
Feels °C | 33 | 33 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 32 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | 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 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 |
| kJ | 249 | 199 | 302 | 302 | 314 | 871 | 974 | 728 | 719 | 701 | 485 | 398 | 346 | 341 | 215 | 76 | 99 | 84 | 100 | 96 | 143 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | S 11 | S 10 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 19 | SW 12 | SW 18 | SW 18 |
| kJ | 246 | 224 | 114 | 116 | 134 | 61 | 50 | 39 | 49 | 51 | 52 | 42 | 63 | 54 | 56 | 140 | 138 | 299 | 73 | 246 | 379 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | SW 19 | W 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | SW 18 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 16 | SW 13 | SW 19 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
| kJ | 84 | 39 | 37 | 234 | 33 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 80 | 71 | 70 | 68 | 134 | 125 | 71 | 50 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SW 6 | — | — | S 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | 8 | — | — | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 9 | 43 | 9 | 16 | 29 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 9 | 9 | 52 | 16 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Golfo de Nicoya | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.
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