Surf Forecasts:
Playa Santa Teresa surf forecast from 23 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 29 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 18s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 16s period, SW swell with 1,109 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 23 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 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 Sunday (Aug 23) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m 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 1.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) 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 1.4m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa Santa Teresa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Let’s talk Playa Santa Teresa in Costa Rica. The start is a bit sleepy, but there’s some real juice coming through the end of August and into September.
First decent look is Sunday morning, August 23rd. Tiny waves—about 2 ft of SW swell with a long 19-second period. The water’s at 87°, much warmer than usual for this time of year. Combined energy is weak (304), but that long period will put some shape on it. With an ENE breeze at 3 mph blowing cross-off, it’s clean and surfable.
Monday morning the 24th is glassy again with a north wind and the same 2 ft of SW swell. Tuesday morning the 25th is dead calm, 0 mph wind, glassy as a mirror, with 2 ft of SW swell. Those mornings are the pick of the early week.
Things go a bit flat Wednesday and Thursday mornings, but Thursday afternoon the 27th picks back up with glassy east wind and 1 ft of SW swell. Energy hits 212, still small but clean.
Friday morning the 28th is where it gets serious. 3 ft of SW swell, 19-second period, energy jumps to 699, and glassy NNW wind. That’s a very good session.
The first real standout? Saturday morning the 29th of August. Swell bumps to 4 ft from the SW at 16 seconds, with energy shooting to 1004. That’s moderate energy finally. Glassy NE breeze at 3 mph makes it excellent for experienced surfers. This is the one to aim for.
Sunday the 30th is another beauty: 5 ft of SW, 14 seconds, dead calm and glassy, energy at 895. Very good conditions.
Second week gets heavy. Wednesday morning September 2nd is clean, but Thursday morning September 4th is a beast. Swell at 6 ft from the SW, 17 seconds, energy at 2020 – strong wave energy. Glassy east wind makes it excellent for experienced surfers. Friday September 5th is even bigger: 6 ft of SW swell, 17 seconds, still glassy in the morning, energy at 2154. That’s powerful groundswell. Keep in mind, that long period means the waves will push hard and straight at this beach break; good for confident surfers.
Saturday September 6th keeps the pace with 6 ft of SW, 16 seconds, glassy north wind, energy at 1547. Excellent morning. Sunday the 7th drops to 5 ft but still excellent and clean.
Crowds can show up sometimes, so expect company on the best days. Playa Santa Teresa is an exposed beach break and the SW swell is right in the zone. Get on those morning sessions from the 29th through the first weekend of September. It’s going to pump.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 32mm), heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 29°C on Sun morning, min 26°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 141mm), heaviest during Wed night. Warm (max 29°C on Wed morning, min 24°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | |||||||||||||||
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 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 19 | SW 20 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 184 | 206 | 260 | 199 | 241 | 322 | 211 | 125 | 191 | 110 | 77 | 75 | 150 | 81 | 236 | 531 | 239 | 881 | 931 | 1109 | 1014 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | on | glassy | glassy | on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 10:55AM1.98m | 11:47PM1.81m | 12:00PM2.03m | 00:46AM1.91m | 12:54PM2.12m | 1:33AM2.06m | 1:41PM2.23m | 2:13AM2.21m | 2:22PM2.33m | 2:50AM2.36m | 3:00PM2.40m | 3:24AM2.49m | 3:37PM2.46m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:33PM0.77m | 5:44AM0.90m | 6:31PM0.69m | 6:43AM0.82m | 7:19PM0.59m | 7:32AM0.71m | 7:59PM0.48m | 8:15AM0.58m | 8:36PM0.39m | 8:54AM0.47m | 9:10PM0.31m | 9:32AM0.36m | 9:44PM0.26m | ||||||||
 | |  |  |  | | | | | | | |  | |  | | | | | | | |
 | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — |
 | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:51 | — |
mm | 1 | 2 | 11 | 2 | — | 4 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 12 | 113 | 7 | 2 | 1 | — | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | 2 |
Temp °C | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 28 |
Feels °C | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 33 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | S 7 | SW 15 | S 6 | S 7 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SW 19 | SW 17 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
| kJ | 134 | 134 | 134 | 132 | 102 | 76 | 53 | 50 | 45 | 61 | 77 | 153 | 56 | 55 | 53 | 531 | 232 | 881 | 931 | 1109 | 1014 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 11 | SW 15 | SW 6 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SSW 6 | SW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 |
| kJ | 120 | 206 | 260 | 199 | 241 | 322 | 211 | 125 | 191 | 110 | 11 | 75 | 16 | 76 | 236 | 45 | 25 | 51 | 73 | 78 | 74 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 19 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 11 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 21 | SW 14 | SW 20 | SW 13 | — | — | S 10 |
| kJ | 184 | 84 | 82 | 72 | 56 | 36 | 37 | 13 | 12 | 30 | 58 | 56 | 150 | 81 | 72 | 123 | 239 | 113 | — | — | 17 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 8 | — | — | N 6 | S 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | 92 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 74 | 12 | 0 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 153 | 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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