
Surf Forecasts:
Playa Santa Teresa surf forecast from 30 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 30 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 15s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 30 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 15s period, SW swell with 685 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 30 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 15s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Playa Santa Teresa this week:
The surf forecast for Playa Santa Teresa over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 30) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 15s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Playa Santa Teresa in the next 16 days are 1.3m 15s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 30) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 7s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 02) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Santa Teresa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s see what’s cooking for Playa Santa Teresa over the next couple of weeks.
Alright, the story here is a long, drawn-out run of small, clean, morning glass-offs. We’re not getting any big, pulse-pumping swell, but for the surfer who wants to get out there on a longboard or a fish, there are some gorgeous windows of opportunity. The water is sitting at 86° – that's a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you can leave the steamers at home.
First real standout comes on Thursday, 30th July morning. The wind is blowing offshore from the NE at a light 6 mph, and we’ve got a 4 ft SW groundswell with a solid 14-second period. The combined energy is moderate (535). That’s going to be clean, lined-up waves. This is your best bet of the early week.
Friday, 31st July morning is even glassier – a total flat calm with the ENE breeze at just 3 mph. The swell backs off a touch to 3 ft from the SW, but it’s still a long period 14-second swell. The energy is still moderate (382). It’ll be pure, smooth, and peeling. The crowds are a possibility here, but for a session like this, it’s worth it.
Things get a little smaller and a bit more iffy after that, with a run of mornings that are clean but the swell drops to 2 ft - 3 ft. There’s a notable little spike on Saturday, 8th August morning. The wind goes glassy from the NNE, and we get a 3 ft groundswell from the SSW with a 16-second period. The combined energy jumps up to 585 (moderate). That’s a very long period swell, which will wrap in nicely – beautiful, clean, and lined up.
Then, looking further out, Tuesday, 11th August morning looks promising. The wind is offshore from the NE at 3 mph, we’ve got a 3 ft SW swell with a very long period of 19 seconds. The energy is ramping up to 792 (moderate). It’s a week away, so don’t set your watch by it, but it’s a promising sign.
The real standout of the whole 16-day window, though, is shaping up for Wednesday, 12th August morning. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the E at 3 mph, the swell is 3 ft from the SW with a long 17-second period, and the combined energy is a solid 794 (moderate). That’s a classic combo for Santa Teresa – clean, consistent, and arguably the best conditions on offer in the whole forecast.
The wind is the key here. Most afternoons turn to an onshore, so make sure you’re in the water early. From the 4th of August, the swell period drops to 8 seconds for a few days, making it a bit weak and short-period, so the quality takes a real dive. Not worth paddling out for.
Overall, it’s a classic Tica winter pattern: small, clean, beautiful mornings. The Thursday 30th July morning and the Wednesday 12th August morning are the ones to circle on the calendar. Get out there and enjoy it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Sat afternoon. Warm (max 30°C on Thu morning, min 27°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 19mm), heaviest on Sat night. Warm (max 29°C on Mon morning, min 27°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | ||||||||||||||
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 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 8 | SSW 9 | SSW 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
695 | 529 | 521 | 379 | 357 | 304 | 241 | 241 | 167 | 124 | 112 | 171 | 167 | 253 | 208 | 168 | 119 | 126 | 96 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | off | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross | glassy | on | off | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:20AM2.26m | 3:25PM2.39m | 3:56AM2.36m | 4:03PM2.41m | 4:31AM2.43m | 4:39PM2.41m | 5:06AM2.48m | 5:16PM2.37m | 5:40AM2.50m | 5:54PM2.31m | 6:18AM2.50m | 6:35PM2.23m | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:06PM0.36m | 9:19AM0.55m | 9:42PM0.31m | 9:58AM0.49m | 10:16PM0.29m | 10:35AM0.46m | 10:50PM0.30m | 11:13AM0.44m | 11:23PM0.33m | 11:52AM0.43m | 11:59PM0.38m | 12:33PM0.45m | 00:38AM0.44m | ||||||
— | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | |
— | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 6 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
Temp °C | 28 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 27 |
Feels °C | 33 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | S 7 | S 7 | SSW 7 | SW 13 | SSW 7 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 | SSW 9 | SSW 8 |
695 | 529 | 521 | 379 | 357 | 304 | 241 | 241 | 167 | 116 | 44 | 45 | 36 | 253 | 67 | 99 | 119 | 126 | 96 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 7 | S 7 | W 12 | S 6 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | SW 16 | SW 12 | SW 15 | SW 14 | S 7 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
22 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 27 | 17 | 17 | 22 | 124 | 112 | 171 | 167 | 62 | 208 | 168 | 98 | 37 | 73 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 10 | — | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | SW 16 | S 6 | SW 15 | SSW 11 | SSW 12 | WNW 10 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WNW 9 | SW 16 | SW 12 |
8 | 7 | — | 12 | 13 | 27 | 24 | 24 | 91 | 20 | 107 | 87 | 98 | 19 | 42 | 41 | 8 | 61 | 22 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | N 8 | S 6 | — | — | — | — | — | S 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | 4 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 92 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 2 | 0 | 68 | 0 | 0 | 93 | 0 | 0 | 93 | 12 | 0 | 92 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Golfo de Nicoya | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Costa Rica | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Playa Santa Teresa Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Playa Santa Teresa 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 Teresa can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Playa Santa Teresa 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 Teresa) 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 Teresa 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 Santa Teresa is 51 km (32 miles) from Puntarenas. If you plan a holiday in Golfo de Nicoya, look for hotels and other accommodation in Puntarenas. Puntarenas has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











