
Surf Forecasts:
Playa Santa Teresa surf forecast from 14 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 16 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 16s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 20 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 19s period, SW swell with 621 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 14 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 18s 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 Monday (Sep 14) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 18s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Playa Santa Teresa in the next 16 days are 0.9m 19s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 20) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 8s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Mon 14th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Wed 16th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Sun 20th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 19s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Santa Teresa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, grab your stick, let’s talk about the next couple of weeks at Playa Santa Teresa. We’ve got a fun mix of small clean mornings and a couple of bigger pulses that will get the blood pumping, but you have to pick your windows. The ocean is running warm—way warmer than normal, about 86°F with a 4°F anomaly, so you can leave the thick wetsuit at home.
First up, right off the bat, Monday the 14th is a slow starter but a beauty for a beginner or anyone wanting to ease in. Glassy conditions, wind from the NNE at just 3 mph, and a 2 ft SW groundswell with a very long 19-second period. That’s a clean, lined-up wave at this exposed beach break, though with that period it might wall up a bit. The energy is moderate (244), but it’s smooth. The real highlight of the first few days is Tuesday morning the 15th—still glassy with 2 ft SW swell at 18 seconds and the energy ramps up (449). That’s the pick of the early week for a quiet, clean session.
Wednesday the 16th through Friday the 18th keep serving up glassy mornings with 2 ft to 3 ft SW swell, periods dropping from 16 down to 13 seconds. These are your classic small-wave fun days, no crowds mentioned but it can get busy here, so get out early. The afternoons go onshore and messy—typical trade wind stuff.
Saturday the 19th morning is another glassy winner with 2 ft and 19-second period, but the standout of the entire run comes on Sunday the 20th and Monday the 21st. Both mornings see clean conditions with cross-offshore ESE winds at 6 mph, and the swell builds to 3 ft–3 ft from the SW with 19 to 18-second periods. The energy jumps into the strong range (622 on Sunday, 655 on Monday). These are your best days—clean, punchy groundswell with good shape. If you only surf twice this period, make it those mornings.
The following week from Tuesday the 22nd through Friday the 25th stays consistent with 3 ft to 3 ft SW swell, but the winds become more variable. Tuesday morning still looks clean with a cross-offshore SE breeze and strong energy (679). After that, the afternoons get chopped, and mornings are still surfable but not as crisp. Friday the 25th morning has a glassy window again with 3 ft at 13 seconds.
Then we hit a change. On Saturday the 26th, a big pulse shows up—8 ft from the west with a short 9-second period and strong onshore winds at 19 mph. The energy is massive (2330), but with the wind and short period, it’s a mess. That’s kite territory, not paddle. Sunday the 27th is still chunky and rainy with onshore winds, not worth it.
The last real opportunity comes on Tuesday the 29th. Morning brings a clean offshore NE wind at 12 mph and a 5 ft W swell with a moderate 10-second period. Energy is strong (761). That’s the best of the second week—offshore, solid, and rideable. The afternoon stays clean with cross-offshore E wind and the swell bumps to 5 ft with an 11-second period and energy up to 932. That’s a great finisher, but with the swell over 5 ft, it’s more for experienced surfers.
Overall, the first week has the most consistent clean windows. The standout is Sunday the 20th and Monday the 21st mornings. Second week is quieter and less reliable, but Tuesday the 29th morning is a dark horse that could deliver.
Stay stoked, choose your mornings, and don’t sleep on that warm water.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 21mm), heaviest during Tue afternoon. Warm (max 29°C on Mon morning, min 26°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 23mm), heaviest during Sat night. Warm (max 29°C on Thu morning, min 26°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 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) | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
171 | 246 | 379 | 249 | 429 | 371 | 367 | 344 | 350 | 346 | 297 | 228 | 175 | 186 | 236 | 227 | 155 | 332 | 526 | 520 | 437 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | on | cross | glassy | on | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 4:54PM2.50m | 5:10AM2.64m | 5:33PM2.38m | 5:48AM2.50m | 6:13PM2.23m | 6:27AM2.34m | 6:55PM2.08m | 7:10AM2.18m | 7:43PM1.93m | 8:01AM2.04m | 8:43PM1.81m | 9:03AM1.94m | 9:56PM1.77m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:48AM0.14m | 10:58PM0.25m | 11:27AM0.23m | 11:36PM0.37m | 12:06PM0.35m | 00:15AM0.52m | 12:48PM0.50m | 00:56AM0.67m | 1:35PM0.64m | 1:44AM0.81m | 2:31PM0.76m | 2:44AM0.92m | 3:39PM0.83m | ||||||||
5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | |
— | 5:40 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | |
mm | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 4 | — | 1 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
Temp °C | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 27 |
Feels °C | 32 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 30 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | S 7 | SW 18 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 |
92 | 92 | 113 | 112 | 111 | 108 | 367 | 344 | 350 | 346 | 297 | 228 | 175 | 175 | 138 | 134 | 47 | 332 | 526 | 520 | 437 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 14 | SW 17 | SW 16 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 10 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | SW 13 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | S 6 |
73 | 246 | 379 | 200 | 429 | 371 | 89 | 86 | 66 | 117 | 78 | 71 | 52 | 53 | 56 | 55 | 132 | 32 | 45 | 44 | 53 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 19 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 18 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | S 10 | SW 22 | SW 22 | SW 21 | SW 20 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 |
171 | 72 | 50 | 249 | 109 | 96 | 130 | 50 | 18 | 76 | 118 | 159 | 143 | 186 | 236 | 227 | 155 | 118 | 96 | 94 | 90 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 93 | 12 | 0 | 93 | 0 | 0 | 93 | 12 |
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.










