Costa Nova Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Howdy, Rusty here. Let’s talk about Costa Nova for the next couple of weeks. It starts off a bit quiet, but there’s some serious juice on the horizon if you know when to look.

The first decent chance is Monday morning, the 14th of September. We’ve got a glassy 3ft NW groundswell with an 11-second period, and the wind is dead calm from the south. The surface will be like a sheet of glass. Combined energy is moderate at 269, so not huge, but for a dawn paddle, it’s as good as it gets. Water temp is 66°F, which is pretty average for this time of year.

Monday afternoon, the wind swings NW and picks up, turning it choppy and cross-onshore. Not worth it.

Tuesday the 15th is a total mess, and Wednesday the 16th sees the swell jump up but with nasty 28 mph cross-shore winds. That 10ft NW swell on Wednesday afternoon has serious energy (1258), but the wind is howling. That’s a kite-surfing day, not a paddle day.

Thursday morning, the 17th, the wind goes light cross-offshore from the north at 6 mph, and we’ve got a clean 7ft NW swell (9 seconds, 854 energy). That’s solid, punchy surf for the experienced crew. It’s a beach/jetty setup, so look for the banks. Crowds can pop up sometimes, so be early.

Friday the 18th is mixed. Morning has light cross-shore wind and 6ft NW swell, but the 8-second period makes it a bit weaker.

Now, the standout of the whole run. Saturday morning, the 19th of September. Offshore wind from the east at 6 mph, glassy clean lines, and a solid 7ft NW groundswell with a 14-second period. That’s proper long-period groundswell, and the energy is a massive 1741. This is expert territory – over 8ft, it’s not for beginners. The long period means serious power, but at a beach break, it might be a bit straight. With offshore wind, though, this is firing. Get on it.

Sunday the 20th is another good morning with offshore ESE wind and 5ft NW swell (11 seconds, 541 energy). Clean and fun, but smaller than Saturday. Afternoons are ruined by NW cross-onshore wind, so mornings are the move.

Monday the 21st follows the same pattern: a clean 5ft NW swell in the morning with light cross-offshore wind, then it falls apart.

Tuesday the 22nd is glassy calm with 4ft NW groundswell at 12 seconds. Lovely, clean, cruisy session for intermediates. Crowds might be around.

From Wednesday the 23rd through Friday the 25th, the swell drops right off, with heights below 3ft and weak energy. A real lull, so skip it. Saturday the 26th has a clean 3ft WNW swell in the morning, but it’s marginal.

Then, Sunday the 27th of September morning delivers again. Glassy, zero wind, and a solid 7ft WNW groundswell with an 11-second period and massive 1236 energy. Another expert-only session – big, clean, powerful. The afternoon turns onshore, so it’s a morning-only deal.

Monday the 28th has a small, clean glassy morning with 4ft NW swell, and Tuesday the 29th finishes with a tiny but glassy 2ft WNW groundswell with a very long 15-second period. Not much power, but fun on a log.

So, the big two are Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 27th mornings. Big, clean, offshore, and powerful. Everything else is small or a morning-only window. Get out there early.

Rusty.

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