Costa Nova Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s look at what the next couple of weeks have in store for us at Costa Nova. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, so I’ll break it down day by day.

The overall pattern is tricky. We’ve got a few windows of clean, glassy conditions, but for most of the forecast, the wind is gonna be a real pain. The best bet is to pick your moments, and there are a couple of standouts if you’re keen.

We kick off on Tuesday morning, August 11th. It’s dead calm, glassy as anything, with a clean 3 ft NW swell, but the period is a short 5 seconds, so the energy is weak (92). The water is a very warm 71°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year. The waves are surfable, but it’s really ordinary. It’s a tough call to get excited about this one.

Tuesday afternoon, the wind swings onshore and it’s game over. It stays messy with cross-onshore winds and choppy conditions right through the rest of the week, with the swell hovering around 3 ft to 3 ft. The energy picks up a bit, but it’s not worth paddling out in that chop.

Now, here’s the first real standout. Wednesday morning, August 12th. It’s glassy again, calm as a pond, with a 3 ft WNW swell and a much better 10-second period. The energy is moderate (223). That’s the combo you want – clean conditions and a bit more push. Get out early before the wind gets up.

Thursday morning, August 13th, is a maybe. The swell is 3 ft with a 10-second period, and the energy is building (264), but there’s a light cross-onshore breeze that’s just enough to mess with the surface. It’s marginal.

Friday and Saturday stay blown out. Saturday morning, August 15th, sees a bump in size to 8 ft from the NW, but it’s short period (8 seconds) and the wind is cross-onshore, making it a messy, lumpy mess. The energy is strong (721), but it’s not for paddling. That kind of size and wind is more interesting for the kite surfers than for us.

Sunday morning, August 16th, is the second standout. The wind goes glassy again, dead calm, with a 6 ft swell from the NNW. The period is short at 8 seconds, but the energy is moderate (387) and the conditions are clean. If you’re free, that’s your session.

From Sunday afternoon all the way through to the end of the forecast, it’s a long, grueling run of poor conditions. The wind is consistently cross or cross-onshore, often fresh to strong, which just ruins the surface. The swell sticks around, but it’s choppy, lumpy, and cross-chop. There’s a bit of a pulse on the 22nd of August with a 4 ft NW swell and a long 12-second period, and the energy is strong (461), but the wind is a fresh cross-shore, so it’s still messy.

The last real chance is on Tuesday morning, August 25th. The swell is 5 ft from the NNW with a 10-second period and strong energy (508), but it’s cross-shore again. It’s a marginal call, not a standout.

So, if you’re looking for the best on offer, it’s the two glassy mornings: Wednesday, August 12th, and Sunday, August 16th. Those are the windows where the conditions match the swell. The rest is a battle with the wind. Stay patient.

Rusty.

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