Reef

both

Level 5/10

Playa Grande

Rio San Juan, Dominican Republic

🌀Strong rips

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Playa Grande is a powerful beach break on the DR's north coast—offering quality sandy-bottom waves that contrast with the reef breaks nearby. The shore break can be punchy and hollow, making it popular with bodyboarders and shortboarders alike.

Playa Grande surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today3

Fair

1.5mNNE@9s

8km/h

1.5m@9s

8km/h

Wed4

Fair

1.4mNNE@9s

5km/h

1.4m@9s

5km/h

Thu5

Fair

1.2mNNE@9s

4km/h

1.2m@9s

4km/h

Fri6

Fair

1.4mNNE@11s

9km/h

1.4m@11s

9km/h

Sat7

Fair

1.6mNNE@11s

8km/h

1.6m@11s

8km/h

Sun8

Fair

1.4mNNE@10s

6km/h

1.4m@10s

6km/h

Mon9

Fair

1.4mNE@12s

6km/h

1.4m@12s

6km/h

Tue10

Fair

1.2mNE@12s

2km/h

1.2m@12s

2km/h

Wed11

Poor

1.1mNE@12s

5km/h

1.1m@12s

5km/h

Thu12

Poor

0.8mNE@11s

9km/h

0.8m@11s

9km/h

5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: MorningAM 4 km/h · PM 7 km/h · Tide at 9am (0.1m)

Swell

1.5m

NNE(22°)

Score: 23/25

Period

Short period

Score: 4/25

Wind

8km/h

E(98°)

Score: 18/25

Weather

29°C

0.1mm84%

First light 6:13amSunrise 6:43amSunset 6:06pmLast light 6:36pm

Windswell

0.2m@2s

Secondary

0.3m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.5m @9s NNE in window

Wind8 km/h E onshore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 2:50–4:12pm · risingIdeal tide: 0.6–1.5m

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

°C

24°

28°

32°

30°

28°

24°

29°

28°

29°

24°

26°

28°

26°

25°

22°

25°

27°

26°

23°

27°

29°

27°

22°

26°

30°

29°

27°

25°

27°

30°

28°

25°

24°

25°

27°

26°

24°

26°

29°

30°

27°

23°

24°

30°

32°

29°

2m1.0

sec

11s

10s

12s

11s

swell

windkm/h

4g13

5g15

10g28

11g36

4g19

3g8

3g13

7g19

5g19

3g16

3g12

2g11

4g16

5g18

4g14

5g10

9g22

13g36

9g33

7g23

6g12

6g18

10g28

9g31

4g25

7g14

5g14

5g17

7g25

5g22

6g12

2g14

7g19

11g30

6g35

3g8

3g11

1g21

1g26

3g22

3g12

2g16

7g23

9g28

2g32

6g18

3g21

10g27

13g34

12g40

tidem

3:06am0.5m

9:18am0.1m

3:30pm0.6m

9:54pm0.1m

4:18am0.6m

10:18am0.1m

4:30pm0.6m

5:10am0.7m

11:20am0.2m

5:20pm0.6m

6:00am0.7m

12:10pm0.2m

6:06pm0.6m

6:50am0.7m

1:10pm0.2m

6:42pm0.5m

12:47am0.1m

7:30am0.7m

2:10pm0.1m

7:30pm0.5m

1:21am0.0m

8:20am0.7m

3:00pm0.1m

8:06pm0.4m

2:00am0.0m

9:04am0.7m

3:30pm0.1m

8:54pm0.4m

2:40am0.0m

9:40am0.6m

4:30pm0.1m

9:30pm0.3m

3:18am0.0m

10:30am0.6m

5:00pm0.1m

Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

3:06 am

High · 0.49m

9:18 am

Low · 0.09m

3:30 pm

High · 0.62m

9:54 pm

Low · 0.11m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Fair

Components

Swell Direction9/25

Swell Size23/25

Swell Period4/25

Wind18/25

Raw Score54/100

Adjustments

🌊 Tide-3

💨 Gusty Wind-5

Adjusted Score46/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score46

🌊 Too low for this tide window

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to POP, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

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Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.5m @9s NNE in window

Wind8 km/h E onshore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

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Spot Details

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction: N (350°)
Direction range: 340° - 30°
Size range: 0.8m - 2.5m
Ideal size: 1.6m - 2.1m
Height multiplier: 0.97×
Ideal period: 14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: S (180°)
Offshore range: 150° - 210°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide: mid
Optimal range: 0.6m - 1.5m

Water temp

27°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

5/10

Crowd level

4/10

Access: North coast DR. Beach break option.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is Playa Grande?

Playa Grande is a reef break in Rio San Juan, Dominican Republic, with peaks that run both left and right.

What swell works best at Playa Grande?

Playa Grande picks up swell from the NNW round to the NNE, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the N. It starts working at around 0.8m and handles up to about 2.5m, with the sweet spot around 1.6 to 2.1m. Period matters too: aim for 14s or longer, as anything under 10s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.

What wind is offshore at Playa Grande?

A S wind is dead offshore at Playa Grande, and anything from the SSE round to the SSW keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 6am to 10am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.

What tide is best at Playa Grande?

Playa Grande is at its best around mid tide, roughly 0.6m to 1.5m on the local chart.

When is the best time of year to surf Playa Grande?

The most reliable run of swell at Playa Grande comes Nov to Mar. There's a second window in Sep to Oct too. Powerful shore break. Quality sandy bottom.

How cold is the water at Playa Grande?

The water at Playa Grande averages around 27°C, so boardshorts or a rashguard will do. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.

Is Playa Grande good for beginners?

It's more of an intermediate wave, rated 5/10 for difficulty, so newer surfers are best off sticking to the smaller days. Expect a moderate crowd (4/10) when it's on. Powerful shore break. Quality sandy bottom.