Playa Santa Catalina Surf Break

Lat Long: 7.61° N 81.24° W

Playa Santa Catalina Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 12 pm 03 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Playa Santa Catalina sea temperature is
29.6°C
1.6° 

Playa Santa Catalina surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Playa Santa Catalina surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 18s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 5 Sep, 10AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 16s period, SSW swell with 674 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 3 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 18s period with SW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Playa Santa Catalina this week:

The surf forecast for Playa Santa Catalina over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 03) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Playa Santa Catalina in the next 16 days are 1.2m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 05) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (EST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)10PM (Thu 3rd Sep)2.5ft (0.7m) 18s
Best Surf10PM (Thu 3rd Sep)2.5ft (0.7m) 18s
Most Powerful10AM (Sat 5th Sep)4ft (1.2m) 16s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaking for the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a solid run of surf on the way, kicking off this Thursday morning. The water is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 85°, so it’s a bit toastier than usual.

The real standout is Saturday morning, the 5th of September. Playa Santa Catalina is looking absolutely prime. We’ve got a clean 4 ft swell rolling in from the SSW, with a period of 16 seconds – that’s proper groundswell, full of energy. The combined energy is strong at 687, and with the wind going glassy, flat calm, it’s going to be as clean as it gets. This is a point break that’s very consistent, and it’s exposed to the SSW swell, so it’s set up perfectly. This is the session to aim for if you’re an advanced surfer.

Thursday morning, the 3rd, is a good warm-up. A clean 3 ft SSW swell with a 12-second period and a light cross-offshore NNE breeze at 10 km/h. The combined energy is moderate at 404, but the conditions are clean. Friday morning, the 4th, is also a beauty. The swell bumps up to 3 ft from the SSW, the period jumps to 17 seconds, and the wind goes offshore from the NNE at 10 km/h. The energy is building to 654. It’s a step up in quality.

Sunday morning, the 6th, is another glassy morning with a 3 ft SSW swell, 15-second period, and moderate energy at 482. It’s good, but not the standout of Saturday. Monday morning, the 7th, stays clean with a 3 ft SSW swell, 14-second period, and a light cross-offshore breeze from the NE. The energy is 528.

After that, the swell hangs around in the 2 ft to 3 ft range through the middle of the week, with mostly clean mornings. The mornings on the 10th and 11th are worth a look, with clean conditions and 2 ft to 3 ft SSW swell. The 10th morning has a 18-second period, which is a very long period groundswell, so the sets will be powerful but spaced out.

There’s a bit of a lull from the 12th into the 14th, with the swell dropping to 1 ft to 2 ft. It’s not flat, but it’s ordinary. The energy dips low, down to 170. Things pick up again on the 15th of September morning with a clean 2 ft SSW swell and an 18-second period. The 18th of September morning has a tiny 1 ft swell but a 21-second period, which is an incredibly long period. The energy is moderate at 278, and with glassy conditions, it’s worth a paddle for the crew who love long-period groundswell.

Most afternoons are junk due to onshore winds, so stick to the morning sessions. The best of the best is clearly Saturday morning, the 5th.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 45mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon. Warm (max 30°C on Thu morning, min 26°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 19mm), heaviest on Sun morning. Warm (max 29°C on Mon morning, min 26°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Thursday
3
Friday
4
Saturday
5
Sunday
6
Monday
7
Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
1
3
3
0
3
2
1
3
2
1
2
3
0
2
2
0
2
2
0
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.8
SSW
12
0.7
SW
15
0.8
SSW
18
0.9
SSW
17
1
SSW
17
1
SSW
16
1.2
SSW
16
1.2
SSW
16
1
SSW
15
1
SSW
15
1
SSW
14
0.9
SSW
14
1
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
13
0.7
SSW
18
0.6
SSW
16
0.7
SSW
16
0.8
SSW
16
0.7
SSW
16
0.9
SSW
17
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
161
242
404
528
622
539
674
666
487
443
437
321
378
236
222
273
181
226
280
215
469
Wind (km/h)
10
NNE
10
SSW
10
WNW
5
NNE
30
SSE
10
WNW
10
SW
15
SW
15
WNW
5
NNE
5
S
5
WNW
10
NE
10
SE
5
WSW
0
NE
10
SSW
10
WNW
5
NNE
10
SW
10
WNW
Wind State
off
cross-on
cross-off
off
on
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
off
on
glassy
cross-off
cross-on
glassy
glassy
on
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
8:00PM2.94m
8:20AM3.13m
8:59PM2.78m
9:23AM2.96m
10:13PM2.68m
10:40AM2.86m
11:37PM2.71m
12:02PM2.89m
00:54AM2.88m
1:15PM3.03m
1:56AM3.13m
2:15PM3.21m
2:48AM3.37m
Low Tide
1:50PM0.51m
2:02AM0.73m
2:46PM0.65m
3:03AM0.90m
3:54PM0.77m
4:20AM1.01m
5:14PM0.80m
5:46AM1.00m
6:31PM0.70m
7:03AM0.85m
7:36PM0.53m
8:05AM0.63m
8:29PM0.36m
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<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:16
6:16
6:16
6:16
6:16
6:16
6:16
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:30
6:30
6:30
6:30
6:29
6:29
6:28
 mm
2
14
7
2
7
5
7
1
4
3
1
1
3
7
3
2
3
Temp °C
30
28
27
29
27
27
28
27
26
28
27
27
29
29
28
29
29
28
29
29
28
Feels °C
35
31
31
32
27
31
32
30
29
33
31
31
33
32
33
33
33
32
33
32
33
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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 Santa Catalina Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Playa Santa Catalina provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Playa Santa Catalina can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Playa Santa Catalina 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 Santa Catalina) 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 Santa Catalina 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.

Are you planning a holiday in Veraguas? If you are looking for accommodation near Playa Santa Catalina, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Veraguas, consider staying in Manzanillo which is 17 km (11 miles) away. Other places in and around Veraguas where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Las Minas which is 57 km (35 miles) away, Santiago de Veraguas and Chitre.

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