Playa Santa Teresa Surf Break

Lat Long: 9.63° N 85.16° W

Playa Santa Teresa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 am 20 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Playa Santa Teresa sea temperature is
30.4° C
2.2° 

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


Playa Santa Teresa surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 11s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 21 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 11s period, SSW swell with 430 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 11s period with SSW 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 (Aug 20) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 13s. 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 1.3m 11s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 11s period and expected on Friday (Aug 21) at 9AM.

Wave TypeTime (CST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9PM (Thu 20th Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 11s
Best Surf 9PM (Thu 20th Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 11s
Most Powerful 3PM (Fri 21st Aug)4.5ft (1.3m) 11s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let's get into the details for the next couple of weeks. We're looking at a classic stretch of small, clean mornings with a few rumbles of energy later on, especially for the more experienced crew.

The water is sitting at a warm 87°F, which is a solid 4°F above what we'd normally expect for this time of year. That's much warmer than usual, so you can leave the thick rubber at home.

The week kicks off on Thursday the 20th with a small pulse. The morning is the pick, with a 3 ft SSW swell, a 10-second period, and light ENE cross-off winds making for clean conditions. The combined energy is moderate at 296. The afternoon gets messy with onshore SSW wind, so you'll want to be in the water early.

Friday the 21st is all about the morning glass-off. The wind goes dead calm from the north, leaving a tiny 1 ft SW groundswell (15-second period) super clean. It's small, with weak energy (78), but it's the kind of morning where a log will feel right at home. The afternoon gets bumpy with the seabreeze.

Saturday the 22nd is much the same story. Another glassy morning with a 2 ft SW groundswell (14 seconds) and clean conditions. The afternoon brings a risk of thunderstorms and onshore wind, so it's a dawn patrol special.

Sunday the 23rd sees a slight shift. The morning is glassy again with a 2 ft SW groundswell, but the period has stretched to a very long 19 seconds. That's a proper groundswell. The energy is moderate (304). That long period will make for some beautifully shaped lines, but it might want to straighten out on the beach, so keep an eye on the points or river mouths. The water is still glassy, so it's a good morning to be out.

Monday the 24th through Thursday the 27th is a bit of a mixed bag with a lot of "risk of thunderstorms" in the afternoons. The mornings mostly stay clean with small 2 ft to 2 ft SW swells, but the consistent onshore afternoons make them a write-off. The 27th afternoon looks particularly sketchy with moderate rain and a short, onshore windswell.

Then we get a gap. There's really nothing to recommend Friday the 28th morning. The energy jumps to 750 but the wind is cross-shore, and the conditions are just marginal. It's a bit of a lull.

Now, here's the standout. Look at Saturday the 29th. The morning is an absolute belter for experienced surfers. A 5 ft SSW swell, 16-second period, and clean conditions with a light east cross-off wind. The combined energy is a strong 1,493. That's a proper swell with real power. The afternoon gets a bit of a cross-chop from the seabreeze, but the morning session is going to be firing. This is the one to circle on the calendar.

Sunday the 30th is still good, with a 5 ft SW swell and clean conditions in the morning. The energy is high at 880. It's a slight step down from Saturday but still a very good session.

Monday the 31st is another glassy morning with a 4 ft SW swell, dropping to moderate energy (506). The wind is dead calm, making for a beautiful, clean morning. The rest of the week into early September looks like a slow fade, with smaller swells and more onshore afternoon winds, though there’s a hint of a clean, offshore pulse on Friday the 4th of September, with a 4 ft SW groundswell (18 seconds) and strong energy (931). That's a good one to keep an eye on.

So, the main takeaway is: hit the clean mornings this week for small, fun waves, and get ready for a proper session on the morning of Saturday the 29th. That's your best bet.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Sat night. Warm (max 30°C on Sat morning, min 27°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 35mm), heaviest during Tue night. Warm (max 29°C on Sun morning, min 26°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
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
0
2
1
0
1
1
0
1
2
0
2
2
1
2
2
0
2
1
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
SSW
10
0.9
SSW
10
1.2
SSW
11
0.4
SW
15
1.3
SSW
11
0.5
SW
16
0.5
SW
14
0.6
SSW
14
0.4
SW
20
0.5
SW
19
0.6
SW
18
0.6
SW
18
0.6
SW
18
0.6
SW
17
0.8
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.5
SW
16
0.6
SW
15
0.5
SW
15
0.4
SW
15
1.1
SSW
7
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
154
157
350
55
430
129
95
136
118
184
206
260
199
241
322
165
125
191
110
77
102
Wind (km/h)
5
ENE
10
SSW
0
SW
5
N
15
SSW
5
N
5
N
10
SSW
10
SE
5
NW
10
SSW
5
N
5
ENE
10
SSW
10
NNE
5
NW
15
W
5
NE
5
E
10
S
15
ESE
Wind State
cross-off
on
glassy
glassy
on
glassy
glassy
cross-on
cross
glassy
cross-on
glassy
glassy
cross-on
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
8:24PM1.93m
8:45AM2.09m
9:25PM1.81m
9:47AM2.00m
10:36PM1.77m
10:55AM1.98m
11:47PM1.81m
12:00PM2.03m
00:46AM1.91m
12:54PM2.12m
1:33AM2.06m
1:41PM2.23m
2:13AM2.21m
Low Tide
2:20PM0.65m
2:26AM0.78m
3:18PM0.75m
3:25AM0.89m
4:25PM0.80m
4:35AM0.93m
5:33PM0.77m
5:44AM0.90m
6:31PM0.69m
6:43AM0.82m
7:19PM0.59m
7:32AM0.71m
7:59PM0.48m
clear
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
clear
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
clear
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
rain showers
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
clear
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:31
5:31
5:31
5:31
5:31
5:31
5:31
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:55
5:54
5:54
5:53
5:53
5:52
5:52
 mm
4
3
1
1
5
11
1
6
1
3
4
4
5
11
2
6
8
Temp °C
29
29
28
29
29
28
30
29
28
29
29
28
29
29
27
28
28
27
28
28
26
Feels °C
33
32
33
33
32
33
34
32
32
32
32
33
33
33
31
31
30
32
31
31
29
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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 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.

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