Copacabana Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, pull up a seat. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks. To be straight with you, it’s a pretty grim stretch for a surf. The swell energy is just flat-out weak for the majority of the forecast, and the wind is never quite on our side to make the most of what little there is. We’re looking at a long, long gap here with nothing worth paddling out for.

The first real sign of any life doesn’t show up until Monday, July 20th. Before that, from Wednesday the 15th right through Sunday the 19th, it’s tiny, messy, and mostly cross-onshore. You’re looking at waves around 0.7ft to 2ft, with barely any energy behind them – we’re talking combined swell energy readings of just 15 to 24, which is about as weak as it gets. The water at Copacabana is sitting at 71°F and is a touch warmer than normal for the time of year, which is a nice thought, but it doesn’t help the surf.

Come Monday the 20th, things perk up a little. The morning sees a pulse of 4ft swell from the NNE, but with a period of only 7 seconds, it’s just a short-period windswell. The energy jumps to 199, which is moderate, but the wind is onshore to start. By the afternoon, the swell builds to 5ft from the same direction, with that same short period, and the combined energy hits 296. The wind is a gentle cross-shore, which is okay, but the report calls it marginal. It’s the only window that gets a score above zero, but it’s not a standout.

Tuesday the 21st sees similar-sized swell, around 5ft to 5ft, but the wind is either light cross-onshore or a moderate cross-shore chop, and the surf is still rated as poor. The energy drops back to 181 in the morning and 251 in the afternoon, but it’s just not clean.

After that, from Wednesday the 22nd of July onward, it’s back to tiny, weak, and mostly messy. There’s a small spike on Saturday the 25th with 4ft to 5ft swell and fresh cross-onshore winds, but the energy of 238 in the afternoon is let down by the lumpy conditions. The last day, Thursday the 30th of July, has a brief moment of glassy conditions in the morning, but the swell is a pathetic 0.7ft – you’d be better off floating on your back.

Honestly, there’s no standout session here. The only break on the list is Copacabana, and it’s a consistent spot that’s exposed to the swell, but the wind is never truly offshore for the good pulses. The best bet, if you’re desperate, is the afternoon of Monday the 20th of July, for a 5ft NNE swell with a cross-shore breeze. It’s not going to be a classic, but it’s the only thing that’s even close to rideable. Keep an eye on the forecast, because it’s been a tough run, and it can’t stay this bad forever.

Rusty.

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