Surf Forecasts:
Tivives surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 11s period, S swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 21 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 11s period, S swell with 307 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 11s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Tivives this week:
The surf forecast for Tivives 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 1.0m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 19s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Tivives in the next 16 days are 1.1m 11s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Fri 21st Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tivives over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on offer around here. The only spot firing up in the 16-day window is Tivives, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag. It’s an inconsistent break, so you’ve got to be patient, but when it does come together, it’s worth it. The water is sitting at 30°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you can leave the thick wetsuit at home.
We’re starting off with a bit of a slow burn. Thursday morning, the 20th of August, is glassy but the waves are small at 2 ft from the S, with only 173 combined energy. It’s surfable, but nothing to get excited about. Friday morning, the 21st, looks cleaner with a 4 ft S swell and glassy conditions, and the energy bumps up to 349. That’s probably the pick of the early days.
Saturday and Sunday are pretty ordinary—small, choppy, and the wind messes things up. Then Monday the 24th offers a tiny 1 ft SSW swell, but with a long period of 18 seconds and glassy conditions, it’s clean but very weak. The combined energy sits at 223. The mid-week is flat, with small swells and period over 15 seconds, but the energy is low, below 150.
The real standout pops up on Saturday the 29th of August. The morning is calm and glassy, with a 3 ft SSW swell and a period of 16 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 553, which is solid. The wind is calm, so it’ll be glassy clean. That’s the best session on offer, but the afternoon gets messy with a cross-on wind. Sunday the 30th morning is also a cracker—glassy, 3 ft SSW swell, 15 seconds, and 390 energy.
Into the first week of September, Tuesday the 1st morning looks good again: glassy, 3 ft SSW swell, 14 seconds, and 386 energy. Thursday the 3rd morning is another strong one, with 3 ft SSW swell, 12 seconds, calm winds, and 598 energy. Friday the 4th morning is also clean with 2 ft SSW swell, 16 seconds, and 353 energy.
The bottom line: this is a spot for the patient surfer. It’s inconsistent, but if you pick the right morning, especially the 29th of August morning, you’ll score some clean, glassy lines on a small SSW swell. The long period (16 seconds) means it’s a proper groundswell, so it’ll have some push, but it’s not huge. Tivives is a fairly exposed beach, so with that direction, it’ll work. Keep an eye on the 29th and 30th of August, and the 3rd of September morning.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Sat afternoon. Warm (max 31°C on Fri morning, min 26°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 22mm), heaviest during Tue afternoon. 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 | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | SSW 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | SW 18 | S 9 | S 9 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 15 | S 7 | SSW 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
73 | 240 | 260 | 302 | 307 | 235 | 218 | 158 | 120 | 106 | 86 | 127 | 102 | 120 | 107 | 67 | 66 | 95 | 57 | 43 | 42 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:35PM2.10m | 8:56AM2.27m | 9:35PM1.97m | 9:57AM2.17m | 10:47PM1.92m | 11:06AM2.14m | 11:59PM1.96m | 12:12PM2.20m | 00:58AM2.08m | 1:07PM2.30m | 1:46AM2.24m | 1:53PM2.42m | 2:26AM2.41m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:30PM0.70m | 2:37AM0.85m | 3:28PM0.82m | 3:36AM0.96m | 4:36PM0.87m | 4:46AM1.01m | 5:45PM0.84m | 5:56AM0.98m | 6:43PM0.76m | 6:56AM0.89m | 7:31PM0.64m | 7:45AM0.77m | 8:12PM0.52m | ||||||||
5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | |
— | 5:53 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:51 | — | |
mm | — | 5 | 1 | — | 3 | — | — | 8 | — | 1 | 4 | 2 | — | 2 | — | 1 | 11 | 1 | — | 5 | 8 |
Temp °C | 30 | 30 | 28 | 31 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 26 | 29 | 28 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 27 |
Feels °C | 33 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 30 | 33 | 33 | 28 | 33 | 33 | 30 | 32 | 33 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | SSW 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 7 | SSW 7 | S 7 | S 7 | S 6 |
73 | 240 | 260 | 302 | 307 | 235 | 218 | 158 | 120 | 106 | 81 | 104 | 102 | 74 | 55 | 53 | 38 | 62 | 44 | 43 | 30 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SW 20 | SW 17 | S 22 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 15 | S 8 |
53 | 19 | 15 | 47 | 9 | 52 | 48 | 73 | 37 | 78 | 86 | 127 | 82 | 120 | 107 | 67 | 66 | 95 | 57 | 43 | 10 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 18 | SW 19 | — | SW 15 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SSW 20 | SSW 20 | SSW 20 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 9 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 15 |
47 | 12 | 14 | — | 35 | 18 | 18 | 38 | 38 | 75 | 35 | 34 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 25 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 42 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 96 | 0 | 0 | 133 | 0 | 1 | 135 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Golfo de Nicoya | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Costa Rica | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Information about the Tivives Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Tivives provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Tivives can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Tivives 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 (Tivives) 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 Tivives 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.
Tivives is 15 km (9 miles) from Esparza. If you plan a holiday in Golfo de Nicoya, look for hotels and other accommodation in Esparza. Esparza has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











