Surf Forecasts:
Playa Santa Catalina surf forecast from 14 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 15 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 16s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s period, SSW swell with 635 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 14 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 18s period with SSW 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 Friday (Aug 14) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Playa Santa Catalina in the next 16 days are 1.1m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Friday (Aug 21) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Fri 14th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Sat 15th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Sat 15th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Santa Catalina over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. We’ve got a solid run of surf shaping up at Playa Santa Catalina, a consistent point break that loves a good SSW swell. No big gaps to start – the action kicks off straight away.
The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The main energy source is a long-period groundswell from the SSW, right in the break’s sweet spot. That means well-shaped, powerful waves with longer lulls between sets – makes paddling out a bit easier, and it’s perfect for a point setup like this. The energy levels are mostly moderate, hitting into the three-digit range, which is a good sign for fun, punchy waves.
Friday 14th is a ripper to start. Friday morning you’ve got clean 2ft SSW swell with a 18-second period and light offshore wind from the NNE. The wave energy is 336 – solid and clean. It’s a great way to kick things off, with glassy conditions expected. By the afternoon, the wind swings cross-onshore and the quality drops, so make the most of the morning.
Saturday 15th morning is the real standout. The swell bumps up to 4ft from the SSW, period a nice 16 seconds, but the wind is dead glassy – WNW at only 3 mph. The wave energy climbs to 638 (moderate-strong), and the report says “very good surf conditions.” This is the pick of the whole run. Afternoon gets choppy, so go early.
Sunday 16th morning stays clean with 3ft SSW swell and a light offshore flow. Energy’s 342 – another very surfable window. Afternoon gets a bit messy with cross-shore winds.
The pattern holds through the next week – mornings are consistently clean with cross-off or glassy winds, and swell hovers between 2ft and 4ft, all from that ideal SSW direction. Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd mornings look promising again – Friday has 4ft with offshore wind, Saturday has 3ft and glassy conditions. Both have moderate-strong energy in the 300s. Crowds are “sometimes”, so expect company but not chaos.
Into the second week, from Sunday 23rd onwards, the swell drops back a little – 1ft to 2ft – but the long-period swell still provides clean lines, especially on the mornings. Friday 28th and Saturday 29th mornings both show 2-2ft SSW swell with light offshore breezes and moderate energy – still worth a paddle.
The absolute best on offer? Saturday 15th morning – glassy, 4ft, long-period groundswell, high energy. That’s the one to circle on the calendar.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 70mm), heaviest during Sun afternoon. Warm (max 31°C on Fri morning, min 25°C on Sun afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 42mm), heaviest during Tue night. Warm (max 29°C on Wed morning, min 24°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | SSW 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
221 | 399 | 386 | 635 | 620 | 430 | 272 | 272 | 277 | 191 | 236 | 236 | 243 | 264 | 318 | 188 | 186 | 134 | 118 | 98 | 301 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross-off | on | off | cross-off | on | cross-off | glassy | glassy | off |
High Tide | 4:38AM3.67m | 4:54PM3.58m | 5:22AM3.72m | 5:39PM3.53m | 6:03AM3.67m | 6:22PM3.40m | 6:43AM3.53m | 7:04PM3.21m | 7:23AM3.33m | 7:47PM2.99m | 8:04AM3.10m | 8:32PM2.76m | 8:49AM2.87m | 9:24PM2.55m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:47AM0.19m | 11:05PM0.02m | 11:32AM0.17m | 11:47PM0.10m | 12:15PM0.22m | 00:28AM0.26m | 12:57PM0.35m | 1:08AM0.47m | 1:39PM0.52m | 1:49AM0.70m | 2:24PM0.71m | 2:34AM0.93m | 3:14PM0.90m | 3:26AM1.13m | |||||||
6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | |
— | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:38 | — | — | 6:38 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | |
mm | — | 9 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 12 | 10 | 15 | 13 | 3 | 2 | — | 5 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 17 | 3 |
Temp °C | 31 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 25 |
Feels °C | 35 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 33 | 33 | 31 | 33 | 31 | 28 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | S 7 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | SSW 12 |
221 | 399 | 386 | 635 | 620 | 430 | 272 | 272 | 161 | 91 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 51 | 318 | 188 | 94 | 100 | 103 | 98 | 301 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 9 | SW 9 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 7 | SSW 9 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 16 |
93 | 81 | 47 | 3 | 3 | 45 | 47 | 43 | 272 | 191 | 236 | 236 | 243 | 264 | 50 | 88 | 186 | 134 | 118 | 96 | 10 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | — | — | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | — | — | — | S 11 | S 11 | — | S 20 | SW 18 | S 18 | S 19 |
22 | 13 | 16 | — | — | 44 | 23 | 22 | 2 | 8 | 2 | — | — | — | 9 | 9 | — | 8 | 12 | 6 | 7 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | SSW 12 | — | — | — | SSW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | 109 | — | — | — | 277 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 166 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 166 | 0 | 0 | 83 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Veraguas | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Panama | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











