Copacabana Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s on offer. We’re talking about Copacabana, and I’ll be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag, with a lot of flat spells and ordinary conditions. The first week is mostly a write-off, but there’s a glimmer of hope further out.

The water is sitting at 73°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a bit of a bonus if you’re getting in.

We start off on Thursday, August 6th, with a morning session. The swell is a weak 3ft from the NNW, with a short period of 8 seconds and combined energy of 134 (moderate). There’s a light cross-offshore breeze from the E at 6 mph, which keeps the surface clean. It’s surfable, but honestly, it’s very ordinary. The afternoon gets worse, with the wind picking up to 12 mph and the conditions turning poor. Friday, August 7th, is no good either – the swell drops to 2ft and the energy plummets to 39 (weak). The wind is cross-off in the morning, but it’s just not doing anything.

Saturday, August 8th, is a flop. The swell is tiny, barely 1ft, and the energy is a pathetic 10 (weak). It’s glassy in the morning, but there’s nothing to ride. Sunday, August 9th, sees a little bump in the swell – 2ft from the NW with a period of 10 seconds and energy of 108 (moderate) – and the morning is glassy with a light W wind. It’s surfable, but still very ordinary. The afternoon gets a clean offshore wind from the NW at 9 mph, but the conditions are still nothing to write home about.

Monday, August 10th, through to the weekend of August 15th-16th is a real drag. The swell stays small, typically 1ft to 2ft, with energy mostly in the weak range (25 to 90). The wind is often cross or onshore, and the wave comment is almost always “poor surf conditions”. There’s a morning on August 12th and the 13th where it’s glassy, but the swell is just too small to bother with. This is a long, quiet stretch.

Then, on Monday, August 17th, we get a bit of a pulse. The morning shows 2ft from the NW, period of 8 seconds, and energy of 82 (weak). It’s glassy with a NE breeze at 3 mph, so it’s clean, but still just “surfable but very ordinary”. The afternoon pushes up to 3ft and energy of 141 (moderate), but the wind goes cross-on, ruining it.

Now, here’s the standout. Tuesday, August 18th, is the pick of the bunch. The morning sees a solid 4ft swell from the NW, with a period of 10 seconds and combined energy of 235 (moderate). The wind is a light cross-on from the WNW at 6 mph, so it’s a little bumpy, but the size is there. This is the best we’ve seen. The afternoon gets bigger, hitting 4ft from the NNW, with energy up to 367 (moderate), but the wind goes fully onshore, so it’s messy. For the morning, though, it’s the best chance for a decent wave.

Following that, Wednesday, August 19th, the swell drops back to 3ft, and Thursday, August 20th, shows another promising morning. The swell is 4ft from the NW, with a period of 11 seconds and energy of 329 (moderate). The wind is a clean cross-off from the ENE at 6 mph, and the comment says “expect good surf conditions”. That Thursday morning is the other real standout – clean, a bit of size, and decent energy. The afternoon, however, gets cross and messy.

Friday, August 21st, the last day in the window, has a morning of 3ft from the NW, with clean cross-off wind, but it’s back to “very ordinary”.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a right-off. The only sessions worth your time are the mornings of Tuesday, August 18th and Thursday, August 20th. The 18th is your best bet for size, hitting 4ft, and the 20th for cleaner conditions. Both are at Copacabana, and the water is a touch warmer than usual. The rest of the time, you’re better off doing something else.

Rusty.

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