Playa Santa Teresa - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (December - February)

This is the sweet spot for Playa Santa Teresa. The North Pacific high-pressure system strengthens, funnelling consistent, dry offshore winds from the N-NNE quadrant across the Nicoya Peninsula. Swell from SSW and SW arrives with long, clean periods averaging 12-13 seconds, producing fun 1.0-1.5m waves with occasional bigger pulses. The result is clean, hollow, and rippable surf — classic Costa Rican dry-season perfection.

Fair Surf Season (March, April, November)

During these transition months, the trade winds begin to weaken or re-establish. March and April still see a solid SSW swell (up to 78% in March), with wave heights climbing slightly to 1.2-1.3m and periods remaining long (13-14s). However, the offshore wind window narrows — especially in April, when ideal conditions drop to 48%. November sees a similar pattern as the rainy season retreats: swell picks back up from SSW and SW, and the offshore flow returns with 51% favourable wind, making for good but less consistent surf.

Low Surf Season (May - October)

The Northern Hemisphere summer brings the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) overhead, shifting winds to a southerly onshore flow. While this is the largest swell season in terms of raw power — average heights reach 1.4-1.5m and periods stay above 13s — the quality is severely compromised. S, SSW, and SW winds blow directly onshore, ruining shape and creating messy, choppy conditions. Ideal wind percentages drop to 31-42%, making clean sessions hit-or-miss. Only occasionally, when a strong high-pressure ridge pushes down from the north, can you score a few early-morning windows of offshore flow.

September: The Messiest Month of the Year

September represents the nadir of surf quality at Playa Santa Teresa. Average swell remains high at 1.5m with 13.0s period, and the SSW/SW mix still provides ample size (29.1% in 1.5-2m, plus 2.3% over 2m). However, ideal wind drops to just 31% — the lowest of any month. The wind rose shows strong cross-to-onshore flow from the entire western half of the compass (especially NW, WNW, W, and WSW). Clean waves are a rare commodity. Only the most dedicated session chasers will find short-lived morning windows before the wind ruins it.