Copacabana Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks. The first few days are pretty flat, so you’ll want to save your energy for the back half of the forecast. There’s a promising window shaping up around the 22nd of August that could be the real highlight.

Copacabana is the only break in the mix here, and it’s an exposed spot that’s consistent, so it’s got potential when conditions line up. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing wild going on there.

We kick off on Monday the 10th of August with a tiny, clean morning – 2ft of NW swell, glassy as anything – but the combined swell energy is weak (78). It’s surfable but just ordinary. That pretty much sets the tone for the next week and a half. Most days are either too small, choppy from cross-onshore wind, or just plain poor. There’s a run from the 10th right through to the 17th where it’s barely worth paddling out, with a few mornings offering a glassy surface but hardly any push.

The morning of Monday the 17th is glassy again with 3ft from the NNW, but it’s still just surfable, nothing special. The 19th of August shows some improvement with a clean morning and 3ft from the NW, energy sitting at 103 (moderate), but it’s still a bit ordinary.

Then things start to look interesting. Friday the 21st of August morning is dead calm with 2ft from the NW, but the energy jumps to 134. The afternoon sees the swell bump up to 3ft from the NW with an 11-second period and energy of 232, but the wind turns onshore. Still, that’s a sign of something building.

The standout is Saturday morning, the 22nd of August. This is where it all comes together. We’ve got 3ft of swell from the NW, period at 10 seconds, and combined energy of 204 (moderate-strong). The wind is glassy – practically dead calm – so it’s going to be clean as a whistle. This is the best window of the whole outlook. The swell isn’t huge, but with that clean surface and the consistent nature of the break, it’ll be fun for intermediates. Crowds are listed as “sometimes” at Copacabana, so on a Saturday morning with decent conditions, you can expect a few other locals in the water, but nothing crazy. The NW direction is right in the sweet spot for this break.

After that, it fades again. Sunday the 23rd is messy with onshore wind and storms threatening, and the following Monday and Tuesday drop right back off to tiny, poor surf.

So in short: save your energy for Saturday morning the 22nd. That’s the one to circle. Everything before that is a whole lot of nothing with a few glassy but tiny moments. The long-range promise on the 22nd looks solid, but remember, we’re a couple of weeks out, so keep an eye on the forecasts.

Rusty.

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