Costa Azul Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but the real payoff is coming. For the first few days, the surf is small and clean, but it’s not until the middle of next week that things really fire up. The standout window is Tuesday the 21st of July through Wednesday the 22nd, with a solid pulse of SSW groundswell and glassy conditions.

The main event is Costa Azul. This spot is exposed to the swell and very consistent. The water is sitting at 84°, which is a good 5° warmer than what’s normal for this time of year – that’s much warmer than usual, so you’ll be surfing in tropical-feeling water.

Let’s walk through it. Thursday afternoon the 16th kicks off with tiny 2ft SW swell (243 combined energy), glassy, but barely a wave. Friday morning the 17th sees a bump to 4ft S swell (333 energy) with glassy winds – nice and clean, but still small. Friday afternoon improves to 4ft S swell with a period of 10 seconds and a solid moderate energy reading of 594. The wind stays glassy, setting up some fun little waves.

Saturday the 18th gets a bit messier. The swell jumps to 5ft SSW but the wind is onshore and bumpy, so it’s not worth getting excited about. Sunday the 19th is similar – clean in the morning, but the wind turns cross-onshore in the afternoon, making it choppy. Monday the 20th is a write-off with risk of thunderstorms and poor conditions.

Then, Tuesday the 21st of July. Morning is a bit shaky with onshore wind, but the afternoon is where it’s at. You’ve got 8ft of SSW swell (2546 combined energy – that’s strong wave energy) with a 14-second period, and glassy conditions. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers – the size is over 8ft, so it’s expert territory only. The swell direction is SSW, lining up perfectly with what this break needs.

Wednesday the 22nd carries on the goodness. Morning glassy again with 8ft SSW swell (2781 energy) and a 14-second period. The afternoon switches to a clean cross-offshore wind, still a solid 7ft. This is the best run of the whole forecast.

After that, the swell drops back. Thursday the 23rd has 6ft SW swell, but the wind is a bit cross, so it’s not as clean. Friday the 24th afternoon is a surprise – a 4ft SW swell with a very long 21-second period (1736 energy) and clean cross-offshore wind. That’s a long-period groundswell, which will wrap in nicely here, but it might be a bit too straight for the beach break, so keep an eye on the tide and current.

The following weekend (25th and 26th) sees a return of clean SSW swell in the 5ft to 5ft range, with cross-offshore winds. It’s a solid, consistent run of surf. The energy levels hover in the moderate to strong range (1500-2000). The end of the month (28th onwards) holds more 5ft to 8ft SSW swell, but winds get a bit mixed. The 29th of July Wednesday morning has 8ft SSW swell again (3083 energy – very strong), but the wind is cross-shore, so it’s not as perfect as the previous week.

Overall, the best bet is Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd of July at Costa Azul. That’s your window for big, clean, glassy waves. The rest of the time, there’s plenty of rideable surf, but it’s not all world-class. Crowds are a possibility here, so get out early if you can.

Rusty.

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