Surf Forecasts:
Tivives surf forecast from 16 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 16 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 15s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 16 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 15s period, SSW swell with 294 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 16 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 15s period with SSW 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 Sunday (Aug 16) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Tivives in the next 16 days are 0.8m 15s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tivives over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for Tivives. Look, mate, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it: this is a quiet spell. The first solid recommendation doesn’t kick in until the 21st, so we’ve got a good week of small, forgettable waves before anything worth paddling out for. Still, there’s a couple of windows that’ll get the heart rate up, so let’s take it day by day.
So, the overall pattern for Tivives: most of this fortnight is ruled by small SW and SSW swells, rarely pushing past 3 ft. The water’s sitting at a warm 87°F, which is about a touch warmer than normal for this time of year—nothing freaky, just a little extra tropical juice. On the 15th, we’re looking at a 3 ft SW groundswell with a 16-second period—nice and long—but the cross-shore breeze from the SSE and risk of storms make it a messy affair. The combined swell energy is moderate at 501, but the wind’s gonna chop it up. Not worth it.
The 16th morning brings some hope: glassy conditions, a light NNW breeze, and a clean 2 ft SW swell at 15 seconds. Combined energy is moderate at 301. It’s small, but if you’re desperate for a slide, that’s your best early look. By arvo, the wind swings back cross-shore and the storms roll in again.
The 17th is similar—small 2 ft SSW swell, but the morning has a cross-off breeze that keeps things clean, and the afternoon turns glassy from the east. It’s rideable, but you’ll be fighting for scraps. The combined energy sits around 325 and 298—mediocre stuff.
Truth is, from the 15th to the 20th, most mornings offer either glassy or clean conditions on tiny, knee-to-waist-high swell. The afternoons are a write-off: cross-on breezes, storms, and poor surf.
Now, the standout. Friday the 21st is the pick of the whole outlook. Both the morning and afternoon sessions deliver a 3 ft S swell with an 11-second period—decent energy for the size—and the combined swell energy is a solid 318 in the morning and 278 in the arvo. The morning is glassy with a light west wind; the afternoon has a cross-off breeze from the east. This is clean, fun-sized surf. Tivives is a fairly exposed break, and with the swell coming from the south—right in its optimum zone—this is the day to block out your calendar. It’s inconsistent here usually, so don’t expect non-stop action, but the sets that come through will be worth the wait. Crowds are possible at Tivives, so get in early.
After that, it tapers off. The 22nd has a 3 ft S swell, but the afternoon gets onshore and ugly. The 23rd is even smaller, 3 ft S, and the same story: clean mornings, blown-out afternoons. By the 24th and 25th, we’re scraping 1 ft SSW and SW swell with very long periods of 16–18 seconds—those long-period groundswells often break too straight for this spot, and the combined energy drops to the 150–200 range. Definitely not worth driving for.
The very end of the run—Friday the 28th through Saturday the 29th—offers another little pulse. Friday afternoon sees a 2 ft SSW groundswell with an 18-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 457. Glassy conditions. Saturday morning and afternoon both hold 2 ft SSW at 16 seconds, energy around 314–323, and glassy winds. It’s small but clean, and if you’re patient, you’ll snag a few proper–looking waves. These are the second-best windows in the outlook.
Overall, mate, it’s a lean stretch. The 21st is your best bet—don’t sleep on it. The 28th–29th is worth a look if you’re keen for a quiet, glassy session. The rest? Maybe bring a spear or a camera.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 29mm), heaviest during Sat afternoon. Warm (max 29°C on Sat afternoon, min 24°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 29mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon. Warm (max 29°C on Thu morning, min 26°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | ||||||||||||||
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 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | S 8 | S 9 | SSW 8 | SSW 9 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
367 | 353 | 220 | 217 | 217 | 178 | 178 | 178 | 138 | 151 | 164 | 123 | 111 | 96 | 96 | 108 | 256 | 265 | 247 | 233 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | glassy | cross | glassy | cross-off | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 4:51PM2.89m | 5:16AM3.01m | 5:34PM2.78m | 5:57AM2.92m | 6:17PM2.63m | 6:38AM2.77m | 7:00PM2.46m | 7:20AM2.60m | 7:45PM2.27m | 8:04AM2.42m | 8:35PM2.10m | 8:56AM2.27m | 9:35PM1.97m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:00PM0.05m | 11:29AM0.17m | 11:42PM0.17m | 12:13PM0.27m | 00:23AM0.33m | 12:56PM0.40m | 1:04AM0.51m | 1:41PM0.55m | 1:48AM0.69m | 2:30PM0.70m | 2:37AM0.85m | 3:28PM0.82m | ||||||||
— | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | |
5:55 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:52 | — | |
mm | 5 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 7 | — | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | 8 | 4 | — | 6 | — |
Temp °C | 29 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 25 | 29 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 27 | 27 |
Feels °C | 32 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 30 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 33 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 33 | 31 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | S 7 | S 7 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 | S 8 | S 9 | SSW 8 | SSW 9 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 |
367 | 353 | 220 | 61 | 62 | 138 | 111 | 90 | 98 | 120 | 96 | 92 | 111 | 96 | 96 | 108 | 256 | 265 | 247 | 233 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | S 12 | S 7 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 20 | SW 6 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 |
134 | 174 | 43 | 217 | 217 | 178 | 178 | 178 | 138 | 129 | 164 | 123 | 84 | 80 | 45 | 52 | 15 | 18 | 22 | 52 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SW 16 | S 12 | S 11 | — | S 21 | S 14 | SSW 14 | SW 19 | SW 15 | S 22 | SW 21 |
— | 24 | 38 | 38 | 37 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 151 | 11 | 2 | — | 9 | 15 | 19 | 14 | 35 | 9 | 18 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 96 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Golfo de Nicoya | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Costa Rica | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











