Carola Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. I've taken a good, hard look at what's on the table for us, and I gotta be straight with you – it's a tough stretch ahead. We're looking at a long dry spell, so don't be in a rush to grab your board.

The first real wave energy doesn't show up until Monday, the 20th of July, and even then, it's a whisper, not a roar. Before that, from now right through to the 19th, we've got flat spells and poor surf conditions. The combined swell energy is basically zero for days on end, and what little bumps we see are tiny and weak. It's pretty grim.

Now, that Monday the 20th, things get interesting. We see a clean, cross-off wind out of the SSE, which is a major positive for Carola. This break is a reef setup for advanced surfers and it's fairly consistent, but we don't often see it working because it needs a north swell. On the 20th, we're finally getting a small pulse from the NW – about 1 ft at 13 seconds. That's a touch of groundswell, and with that clean wind, the lineup is going to be very inviting. The combined energy is moderate, sitting at around 56 in the morning. It's small, but for this spot, with this wind, it's our only real standout.

We've got more poor surf on the 21st, then another small window appears on the 22nd and 23rd of July. We're looking at 1 ft from the NW again, but the period gets very long – hitting 17 seconds on the afternoon of the 22nd and into the 23rd. That's some very long-period groundswell energy, which means more shape and power, but also longer waits between sets. The combined energy is still moderate, around 57 to 66, and the wind stays mostly clean. This is promising, but keep in mind it's a long-range call, so don't bet the farm on it. For a reef break like Carola (Costa Rica), that long-period NW swell will wrap in nicely.

Overall, there's a small, clean, and promising window starting around July 20th and flaring up again around the 22nd and 23rd. For the rest of it, leave your board in the bag. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

Stay patient.

Rusty

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