Jaco Surfing Calendar: Month by Month
A January–December Jaco surfing calendar: dry and green seasons, swell tendencies, beginner suitability and crowds, with a guide for each month.
General seasonal tendencies only — not a forecast. For today's conditions see the live surf report.
| Month | Season | Swell tendency | Beginners | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Dry | Moderate | Good | High |
| February | Dry | Moderate | Good | High |
| March | Dry | Moderate, building | Good | High (Semana Santa) |
| April | Dry → transition | South swells start | Good | High, then easing |
| May | Green | More consistent | Fair–good (mornings) | Low |
| June | Green | Consistent south swell | Fair | Medium |
| July | Green (possible 'veranillo') | Consistent | Fair–good | Medium–high (holidays) |
| August | Green | Consistent | Fair | Medium |
| September | Wettest | Consistent, can be large | Fair (choose spot) | Low |
| October | Very wet | Variable | Fair (choose spot) | Low |
| November | Transition | Variable | Good | Low → rising |
| December | Dry | Moderate | Good | Very high (holidays) |
This calendar summarises general seasonal tendencies for surfing around Jacó. It isn't a forecast — any day can differ — but it helps you plan a trip.
How to Read It
- Season: dry (roughly December–April) or green/rainy (roughly May–November).
- Swell tendency: the Pacific generally sees more consistent swell in the green season.
- Beginners: how easy it usually is to find suitable learning conditions. "Fair" means we're more selective about location.
- Crowds: tourism levels, including holidays like Semana Santa, July school holidays and Christmas.
Month-by-Month Guides
Click any month in the table for a full guide, or see Best Time to Surf Jaco for a summary.
Key Takeaways
- There's no bad month for a lesson — only different trade-offs.
- Dry season: more sun, more people.
- Green season: more swell, fewer people, rainy afternoons — morning lessons are popular.
For today's conditions use the live surf report; to understand the numbers read Understanding Swell.
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