10-day surf forecast with Strike Scores for Playa Maderas, San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
Playa Maderas is Nicaragua's most beloved intermediate wave—a fun beach break near San Juan del Sur that has become the heart of the country's growing surf scene. The wave offers consistent left and right peaks that work for all skill levels, from beginners finding their feet to experienced surfers looking for playful sessions. The vibe here is pure Central American warmth: sunset sessions, beachfront bars, and a community of international travelers who've discovered Nicaragua's incredible value proposition. When the southwest swells pump from April through October, Maderas delivers daily surfable conditions at a fraction of Costa Rica's prices.
Best day in the forecast: 2026-08-08 with a score of 71/100 (Good)
Poor conditions overall: Average score 47/100. Look for spots with better forecasts.
Good alignment: Swell from 214° is 4° off optimal 210°, still within prime range.
Too small: 0.7m is below minimum 0.8m. Waves will be weak/mushy.
Moderate period: 10s meets minimum 10s but below ideal 14s. Some groundswell energy present.
Strong offshore: 23 km/h from 68° (ENE). Grooming but may make paddling difficult.
+6 points: Multiple days of offshore wind have groomed the ocean surface, creating ultra-clean conditions.
Groundswell-dominant conditions (clean, long-period waves).
Poor conditions at Playa Maderas. Either swell direction (214°), size (0.7m), or wind (23 km/h from 68°) is unfavorable. Consider other spots or wait for better conditions.
0.7m (2.3ft) swell from 214° (SW) at 10s period
Local wind-generated waves (choppy, short-period)
Good alignment: Swell from 203° is 7° off optimal 210°, still within prime range.
Short period: 9s is below minimum 10s. Windswell-dominated (choppy, weak waves).
Strong offshore: 24 km/h from 67° (ENE). Grooming but may make paddling difficult.
Poor conditions at Playa Maderas. Either swell direction (203°), size (0.7m), or wind (24 km/h from 67°) is unfavorable. Consider other spots or wait for better conditions.
0.7m (2.3ft) swell from 203° (SSW) at 9s period
Good alignment: Swell from 208° is 2° off optimal 210°, still within prime range.
Too small: 0.6m is below minimum 0.8m. Waves will be weak/mushy.
Strong offshore: 25 km/h from 73° (ENE). Grooming but may make paddling difficult.
-5 points: Short-period windswell is present, creating choppy, disorganized conditions.
Poor conditions at Playa Maderas. Either swell direction (208°), size (0.6m), or wind (25 km/h from 73°) is unfavorable. Consider other spots or wait for better conditions.
0.6m (2.0ft) swell from 208° (SSW) at 10s period
Moderate alignment: Swell from 221° is 11° off optimal 210°, workable but not ideal.
Perfect period: 15s is at or above ideal 14s. Long-period groundswell with maximum power.
Strong offshore: 28 km/h from 68° (ENE). Grooming but may make paddling difficult.
Poor conditions at Playa Maderas. Either swell direction (221°), size (0.6m), or wind (28 km/h from 68°) is unfavorable. Consider other spots or wait for better conditions.
0.6m (2.0ft) swell from 221° (SW) at 15s period
Moderate alignment: Swell from 220° is 10° off optimal 210°, workable but not ideal.
Marginal size: 0.9m is 0.7m from ideal 1.6m.
Perfect period: 14s is at or above ideal 14s. Long-period groundswell with maximum power.
Strong offshore: 28 km/h from 67° (ENE). Grooming but may make paddling difficult.
Good surfable conditions at Playa Maderas. 0.9m swell from 220° with moderate wind. Solid session guaranteed.
0.9m (3.0ft) swell from 220° (SW) at 14s period
Marginal size: 0.8m is 0.8m from ideal 1.6m.
Strong offshore: 29 km/h from 72° (ENE). Grooming but may make paddling difficult.
Surfable but not special at Playa Maderas. The 0.8m swell from 221° is workable, but conditions aren't ideal. Fine if you're local, but not worth a dedicated trip.
0.8m (2.6ft) swell from 221° (SW) at 15s period
Moderate alignment: Swell from 227° is 17° off optimal 210°, workable but not ideal.
Strong offshore: 27 km/h from 67° (ENE). Grooming but may make paddling difficult.
Surfable but not special at Playa Maderas. The 0.7m swell from 227° is workable, but conditions aren't ideal. Fine if you're local, but not worth a dedicated trip.
0.7m (2.3ft) swell from 227° (SW) at 14s period
Moderate alignment: Swell from 225° is 15° off optimal 210°, workable but not ideal.
Strong offshore: 27 km/h from 65° (ENE). Grooming but may make paddling difficult.
Surfable but not special at Playa Maderas. The 0.7m swell from 225° is workable, but conditions aren't ideal. Fine if you're local, but not worth a dedicated trip.
0.7m (2.3ft) swell from 225° (SW) at 15s period
Very low confidence (8-10 day forecast, conditions may change)
Too small: 0.5m is below minimum 0.8m. Waves will be weak/mushy.
Strong offshore: 25 km/h from 67° (ENE). Grooming but may make paddling difficult.
Poor conditions at Playa Maderas. Either swell direction (225°), size (0.5m), or wind (25 km/h from 67°) is unfavorable. Consider other spots or wait for better conditions.
0.5m (1.6ft) swell from 225° (SW) at 15s period
Good alignment: Swell from 215° is 5° off optimal 210°, still within prime range.
Too small: 0.4m is below minimum 0.8m. Waves will be weak/mushy.
Perfect period: 16s is at or above ideal 14s. Long-period groundswell with maximum power.
-7 points: Short-period windswell is present, creating choppy, disorganized conditions.
Poor conditions at Playa Maderas. Either swell direction (215°), size (0.4m), or wind (25 km/h from 67°) is unfavorable. Consider other spots or wait for better conditions.
0.4m (1.3ft) swell from 215° (SW) at 16s period
Open-Meteo Weather API (wind/weather data)