Surf Forecasts:
Playa Santa Teresa surf forecast from 2 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 4 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 17s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 4 Sep, 3PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 17s period, SW swell with 1,542 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 3 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s 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 (Sep 03) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Playa Santa Teresa in the next 16 days are 1.6m 17s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 7s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 06) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Fri 4th Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Fri 4th Sep) | 5ft (1.6m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Santa Teresa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got the picture for Playa Santa Teresa. We’ve got a solid run of surf ahead, so let’s get straight into it.
The overall pattern is a nice, drawn-out pulse of long-period groundswell, mostly from the SW, hitting a consistent, beginner-friendly beach break. The water’s sitting at a balmy 87°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – you’ll be sweating in your wettie if you wear one.
It kicks off proper on Wednesday, September 2nd, with a clean 2ft SW groundswell. The period is a very long 18 seconds, giving those waves proper energy and shape. The wind is glassy off the NE at just 3 mph, so expect perfect, clean lines. Combined energy is moderate (513). That’s your morning session sorted.
The best surf of the whole outlook shapes up on Friday, September 4th. The morning brings a 5ft SW swell with a 17-second period – that’s a serious bump in size with excellent energy (1291). Glassy off the NE at 3 mph again. This is what we live for: punchy, clean, long-interval waves. It’s still very manageable for the consistent crowd here, but that size will have you smiling.
Saturday, September 5th, keeps the magic going: 5ft SW, 16-second period, and glassy wind from the ESE at 3 mph. The energy is strong (1369). Another cracker morning. It’s a bit bigger now, so if you’re a beginner, take care – anything over 5ft starts pushing your limits.
Sunday the 6th eases slightly to 5ft SW, but the period drops to 14 seconds. Still glassy in the morning with very good conditions and moderate energy (846). The second week sees a gradual drop in size but stays rideable. Thursday the 10th has a nice bump in the morning – 4ft SW, 17 seconds, with a clean, cross-off breeze from the ENE at 6 mph. That’s a standout in the later period, giving you excellent, clean waves with strong energy (1027).
After that, it tails off into smaller, cleaner mornings in the 3ft to 3ft range through the rest of the second week. The consistency holds, but the punch fades. There are no real gaps without surf – just a steady hum of small, clean waves. The afternoons are pretty ordinary, with cross-shore wind messing things up, so stick to the glassy mornings.
Overall, lock in Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th. That’s the creamiest, cleanest, most powerful swell of the run. The water’s weirdly warm, the wind’s perfect, and Playa Santa Teresa will be firing for everyone from beginners to rippers. Don’t sleep on it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 24mm), heaviest during Thu night. Warm (max 29°C on Wed morning, min 27°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Sat night. Warm (max 29°C on Sat morning, min 26°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | |||||||||||||||
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 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 246 | 326 | 257 | 302 | 499 | 881 | 1174 | 1542 | 1210 | 1317 | 1164 | 868 | 833 | 667 | 514 | 422 | 352 | 286 | 249 | 227 | 302 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 6:13PM2.31m | 6:33AM2.54m | 7:01PM2.20m | 7:24AM2.43m | 7:58PM2.09m | 8:25AM2.32m | 9:08PM2.02m | 9:37AM2.25m | 10:28PM2.03m | 10:55AM2.25m | 11:44PM2.15m | 12:07PM2.32m | 00:49AM2.32m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:08PM0.29m | 00:15AM0.38m | 12:55PM0.37m | 1:03AM0.48m | 1:51PM0.46m | 2:02AM0.59m | 2:57PM0.54m | 3:14AM0.67m | 4:12PM0.57m | 4:35AM0.68m | 5:26PM0.51m | 5:52AM0.60m | 6:31PM0.40m | ||||||||
 | |  | |  | | |  | | | | | | | | | |  | | | | |
 | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — |
 | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — |
mm | — | — | 4 | — | 3 | 11 | — | — | 6 | — | 2 | 7 | — | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 |
Temp °C | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 |
Feels °C | 33 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 29 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 33 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 16 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 |
| kJ | 241 | 238 | 187 | 302 | 499 | 881 | 1174 | 1542 | 1210 | 1317 | 1164 | 868 | 833 | 667 | 514 | 422 | 352 | 286 | 249 | 199 | 302 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 6 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 12 | SW 12 | S 8 | SSW 11 | W 8 | W 10 | WNW 9 | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | S 7 | S 7 | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 12 |
| kJ | 26 | 326 | 257 | 144 | 144 | 29 | 103 | 13 | 29 | 27 | 31 | 20 | 30 | 34 | 43 | 39 | 27 | 24 | 246 | 227 | 112 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | S 6 | S 6 | S 7 | SW 15 | SW 11 | W 9 | SSW 11 | S 11 | SSW 11 | W 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 12 | W 11 | W 11 | SSW 6 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 |
| kJ | 246 | 25 | 18 | 24 | 176 | 57 | 14 | 25 | 39 | 25 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 22 | 23 | 46 | 63 | 61 | 18 | 64 | 36 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 6 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 132 | 12 | 0 | 247 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 106 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 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.
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