Costa Nova Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I gotta be straight with you – the next few weeks are looking pretty tough for a paddle. We’ve got a real gap of surf here, with nothing worth mentioning until the weekend after next. Let’s break it down.

The first real chance of anything surfable kicks off on Saturday the 18th in the morning. We’re looking at a tiny pulse of swell at Costa Nova, with waves around 3 ft from the NNW. The wind is glassy early, which is a rare treat, so it’ll be clean. But the period is a short, weak 6 seconds, meaning the energy is just not there (combined energy of 85). It’s surfable, but very ordinary – really just a chance to get wet.

That little bump fades quickly. By Saturday afternoon the wind swings cross-on from the NW at 9 mph, and the swell drops again. The next few days are a write-off – tiny, choppy, and mostly onshore wind. You’ll be staring at flat, messy water until the following weekend.

The next real standout, and honestly the best on offer across the whole outlook, hits us on Sunday the 26th. The surf size jumps significantly, with 6 ft swell from the NW. The combined energy is moderate (318), and the period is a short 7 seconds, so it’s a bit lumpy and wind-affected. The morning sees cross-shore winds from the south at 6 mph, keeping it semi-clean. But the afternoon turns onshore from the west at 9 mph, which will mess it up. This is a one-day pop of size, so if you’re keen, get out early on the 26th.

Then on Monday the 27th, we get the biggest swell of the period – 6 ft from the NW, with strong energy (444). Again, short period at 8 seconds, and the wind is cross-shore from the north in the morning at 6 mph. Afternoon goes cross-on from the WNW at 13 mph, turning it into a choppy mess. This size is pushing into expert territory (over 5 ft, close to 8 ft), so it’s not for beginners. The setup is a beach/jetty, so with that short period and wind, it’s going to be a bit of a battle. Honestly, with the wind and size, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The water temp is sitting around 64°F – that’s about 2°F cooler than normal for this time of year, so it’s a touch fresh but not shocking.

The 28th Tuesday sees the swell dropping back to 3 ft with cross-on wind again, so the window closes.

All in all, the pick of the 16 days is the Sunday 26th morning. It’s the most consistent bump in size, and the cross-shore wind gives you a chance at a few clean walls. The 27th morning is bigger but more unruly. Everything else is mostly flat or blown out. Keep your eyes on the forecasts, but for now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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