Playa Jaco • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (December - March)

Playa Jaco is a southwest-facing beach that gets plenty of South Pacific groundswell, but the quality of the surf is decided by the wind. During the dry season the North Pacific High builds across Central America, generating the classic Papagayo offshore flow that spills over the mountains and gives Jaco frequent clean winds from the N, NNE, NE and ENE. The swell averages 1.0-1.1m (3-3.5ft) with long periods of 12-13s, so waves are generally in the fun, rippable 3-4ft range with the occasional overhead set. This is not the biggest surf of the year, but it is by far the cleanest and most consistent.

Fair Surf Season (April - May & November)

In April and May the balance shifts. The Intertropical Convergence Zone begins to push north and the rainfall picks up, but the Southern Hemisphere storm track is still producing strong long-period swells. Average heights climb to 1.2-1.3m (4-4.3ft), periods reach 14s, and there are more days of 3-5ft (1-1.5m) surf. The catch is that S, SSW and SW winds increase, dropping the ideal wind percentage into the mid-20s. November is the reverse: the wet season is retreating, offshore northerlies re-establish, and the swell is still decent, making it the most promising shoulder month.

Low Surf Season (June - October)

From June through October the Southern Ocean and South Pacific winter storms fire with maximum intensity, and Jaco sees its largest average swells of the year at 1.4m (4.5ft). This is the peak of the wet season, however, with the ITCZ sitting overhead. The dominant wind directions shift into the onshore S/SSW/SW quadrant, and ideal offshore wind drops to just 18-23%. The result is often lumpy, windblown and rain-soaked conditions, even though the swell size is impressive. These months are low in terms of surf quality, not quantity.