When to Visit Surf SimplyNosara Surf Seasons
What’s the Surf Like in Costa Rica Throughout the Year?
Costa Rica is remarkably consistent. Nosara, in particular, is one of the few places in the world where you can surf 360+ days a year. Yes, 360+. That’s not a typo!
Of course, conditions vary from day to day and throughout the year, but in general, surf heights follow a seasonal pattern.
During the northern hemisphere winter (roughly November through April), the waves tend to be smaller, with lots of waist-high days.
In the northern hemisphere summer (May through September), the average wave size is a little bigger, with plenty of head-high and overhead days.
Averages vs. Forecasts
It’s worth keeping in mind that these are just seasonal averages—not forecasts.
Just as saying men are, on average, taller than women doesn’t mean you can predict someone’s height from their gender, you also cannot predict someone’s gender from their height.
The same is true of seasonal surf averages: knowing the seasonal average won’t tell you what conditions you’ll get during your week with us. For example, contrary to what the seasonal averages might imply, we still get plenty of head-high days during the winter months and plenty of waist-high days during the summer months.
Our advice is to get in the ocean as soon as possible and as often as possible if you’re serious about progressing. We promise that whatever the conditions while you’re with us, we’ll make sure your time in the water is fun and productive, and that you’ll learn new skills you can take away and use in the variety of conditions you’ll encounter on future surf trips.
What About the Weather?
Costa Rica enjoys a mix of sunshine and showers year-round, with the exception of the four months between Christmas and Easter, when rain is rare and the skies are typically clear.
Like any tropical country, we also get the occasional storm—mostly between May and November. These systems usually bring a day or two of rain, but thankfully, they rarely come with strong winds, so they don’t tend to affect your time in the water too much.
Seasonal Pros and Cons
All seasons have their pros and cons.
The winter months (Dec–Apr) often bring blue skies and clean but small swell. It can also sometimes be too windy to surf in the mornings, and the lineup tends to be busier with folks escaping the cold from up north.
The summer months (May–Sep), on the other hand, bring afternoon showers and, with them, a greener jungle backdrop—as well as more consistently head-high swell and fewer people in the water.
No Matter the Conditions…
We promise, whatever the conditions when you’re with us, we will make sure your time in the water is both fun and productive.
