Copacabana Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’ve been staring at the charts for Copacabana for the next 16 days, and I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch. There’s a big ol’ gap at the start with nothing worth paddling out for. The first real chance at a wave doesn’t show up until Saturday morning, the 1st of August, and even then it’s modest.

The water temp is sitting at 71°F, which is about 2°F warmer than normal for this time of year, so it’s a touch balmy but nothing crazy.

For that Saturday morning, the 1st of August, we’ve got a tiny 2ft NW swell rolling in with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is weak (59). The wind is a light cross-offshore from the ENE, which is a good sign – it’s clean out there. The waves are small and ordinary, but they’re rideable. Just don’t expect any barrels. The break is exposed to the swell and consistent, so it’ll be breaking. It’s an intermediate-level wave, so fine for most. Crowds are possible here, so you might have some company.

The rest of the first week is a write-off. From Saturday afternoon through to the 10th of August, we’re looking at tiny swell, mostly below 2ft, with poor surf conditions and a lot of cross-onshore wind. There’s a glassy morning on the 4th and 5th of August, but the swell is barely 0.7ft – 1.0ft, so you’re just floating. That’s a solid 10 days of nothing fun.

The second week shows a little more life, but it’s still not a standout. On Tuesday morning, the 11th of August, we get a 3ft swell from the north with a period of 6 seconds. The combined energy creeps up to a moderate 61. The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the ENE, so it’s clean. The swell is small, but it’s the best we’ve seen. It’s still an intermediate spot, but the short period (6 seconds) means the waves will be a bit weak and choppy. This is the closest thing to a highlight, but it’s not a classic.

By the afternoon of the 11th, the swell pushes to 4ft, and the energy hits 108 (moderate), but the wind is stronger (16 mph), and conditions reported as poor. The rest of the week into the 14th of August sees a mix of weak swells and onshore wind, with nothing clean or consistent.

The overall pattern is bleak – a long, dry patch of 10 days with no real surf, and then only a brief, small window of surfable waves. It’s a quiet period, but the spot is consistent, so it won’t stay this way forever. Keep an eye on the charts.

Rusty.

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