Surf Forecasts:
Tamarindo surf forecast from 31 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 18s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 5 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 16s period, SW swell with 1,532 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 31 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 13s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Tamarindo this week:
The surf forecast for Tamarindo over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 13s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Tamarindo in the next 16 days are 1.8m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 05) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Mon 31st Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Sat 5th Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tamarindo over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, Rusty here. We’ve got a solid run of surf on the cards for Tamarindo, starting right from Monday morning. The water’s a touch warmer than normal, sitting at 86°, which is a nice little bonus for this time of year.
Monday 31st August kicks things off with a clean 4ft swell ramping up from the SW, pushing through at a long 13 seconds. The NE cross-offshore breeze is light, so the river mouth will be tidy and inviting. The combined energy is moderate (456), enough to get you moving without it being a fight. This is a good, clean start.
Into Tuesday 1st September, the morning glass is back with a 3ft SW swell and a period dropping back to 12 seconds. The E wind goes offshore, and it’s clean again. Another good morning session.
Wednesday 2nd September is a write-off for the morning – only 2ft with a sketchy onshore breeze and a risk of storms. The afternoon is even worse with a choppy cross-onshore. Skip it.
Thursday 3rd September morning is a beauty – absolute glass, 2ft but with a very long 19-second period. The energy is ramping up (756), but that tiny height means it's a small, long-period groundswell. It’s going to be clean and super fun on the point if you’ve got a log.
Friday 4th September is where the week peaks. A 5ft SW swell with a 17-second period combines for strong energy (1462). Glassy conditions in the morning, and the label says it’s excellent for experienced surfers. That’s the standout. The wind is offshore early, so the river mouth will be running clean with proper, chunky lines. It's a little too big for beginners, but for everyone else, this is the session.
Saturday 5th September morning keeps the quality high: 6ft SW groundswell, 16-second period, and absolute glass. With the combined energy hitting 1466, this is serious wave power. Same deal – excellent for experienced surfers, and the biggest swell of the run. The offshore forecast is a dream.
From Sunday 6th through to Wednesday 10th September, the size backs off gradually (5ft down to 3ft) but the quality holds. Mornings are either glassy or clean with cross-offshore winds, and the periods stay long (13-16 seconds). Each morning is a reliable, good-to-very-good option. The energy eventually drops into the moderate range (around 500-700), so it’s still fun but not the power of the weekend.
Thursday 11th September morning brings another sniff of quality: 4ft, 15-second period, clean with a cross-offshore breeze. Still worth a paddle.
The second week sees the swell settle into a quieter, more consistent pattern. Mornings on Saturday 12th through Tuesday 15th offer clean conditions with 3ft to 4ft SW swells, glassy or offshore winds, and periods ranging from 14 to a very long 19 seconds. The energy tails off (down to 212-438), so it’s smaller but very clean – perfect for learning or a longboard session. The Tuesday morning (15th) has a moderate offshore breeze, so expect some nice, lined-up peaks.
Overall, the Friday 4th and Saturday 5th September mornings are the clear standouts. If you can get out then, you’ll score the best combination of size, power, and clean conditions. The rest of the period is punctuated by quality morning windows, but those two days are the real deal.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Wed night. Warm (max 31°C on Mon morning, min 25°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 51mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon. Warm (max 29°C on Thu morning, min 25°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | |||||||||||||||
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 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | 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 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
451 | 444 | 331 | 301 | 297 | 220 | 246 | 326 | 371 | 296 | 577 | 1099 | 1297 | 1519 | 1314 | 1420 | 1164 | 949 | 833 | 676 | 658 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | off | off | cross-on | cross-off | on | cross-on | off | glassy | cross-on | off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:46PM2.32m | 5:05AM2.52m | 5:25PM2.27m | 5:45AM2.50m | 6:08PM2.19m | 6:29AM2.43m | 6:56PM2.09m | 7:20AM2.33m | 7:53PM1.99m | 8:20AM2.23m | 9:01PM1.92m | 9:31AM2.16m | 10:19PM1.93m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:42AM0.24m | 10:50PM0.24m | 11:21AM0.24m | 11:28PM0.28m | 12:04PM0.28m | 00:10AM0.34m | 12:52PM0.35m | 00:59AM0.43m | 1:47PM0.44m | 1:56AM0.53m | 2:52PM0.51m | 3:07AM0.61m | 4:06PM0.53m | ||||||||
5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | |
— | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:49 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 1 | 11 | — | 2 | 6 | 1 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 16 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 1 |
Temp °C | 31 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 26 | 29 | 28 | 26 | 29 | 28 | 26 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 29 | 28 | 26 |
Feels °C | 33 | 32 | 30 | 32 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 32 | 31 | 29 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 34 | 32 | 30 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | S 6 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 12 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
451 | 444 | 331 | 301 | 297 | 61 | 238 | 238 | 371 | 169 | 577 | 1099 | 1297 | 1519 | 1314 | 1420 | 1164 | 949 | 833 | 676 | 658 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | SW 6 | S 6 | S 7 | SW 18 | SW 12 | S 6 | SW 16 | SSW 12 | SW 16 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | SSW 6 |
12 | 18 | 20 | 34 | 112 | 220 | 46 | 326 | 180 | 291 | 142 | 133 | 140 | 103 | 89 | 89 | 34 | 33 | 47 | 43 | 40 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 6 | WNW 10 | W 9 | SW 18 | WNW 8 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 6 | S 6 | SW 19 | SSW 7 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 |
5 | 9 | 15 | 84 | 14 | 155 | 246 | 39 | 31 | 296 | 34 | 27 | 25 | 35 | 29 | 46 | 26 | 24 | 13 | 30 | 32 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NNE 4 | — | S 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | 3 | — | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 199 | 0 | 8 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Guanacaste | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Costa Rica | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Tamarindo Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Tamarindo provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Tamarindo can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Tamarindo 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 (Tamarindo) 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 Tamarindo 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.
Tamarindo is 46 km (29 miles) from Nicoya. If you plan a holiday in Guanacaste, look for hotels and other accommodation in Nicoya. Nicoya has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











