Costa Nova Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Costa Nova has in store for us over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough start. We’re looking at a long, dry spell with pretty much nothing worth paddling out for. From the beginning of the outlook right through until Saturday the 12th of July, it’s mostly tiny, weak swell and messy cross-onshore winds. You’ll see some waves, sure, but they’re small and poor, with combined swell energy that barely gets into the moderate range (the best early reading is only 258). Honestly, not worth the wetsuit struggle.

That all starts to change on the 12th though. Sunday morning the 12th sees the swell bump up to 4ft from the NNW, with a short period of 8 seconds. The combined energy finally hits 303 – moderate wave energy. Winds are light cross-onshore, so it’s still a bit choppy but the write-up calls it "marginal", meaning it could be okay if you’re keen and not too picky. The 13th and 14th are similar – waist-to-chest high sets around 4ft to 4ft, but the wind stays cross-onshore and it’s inconsistent. Nothing to write home about, really.

Now, the 15th of July (Wednesday morning) is interesting. Swell hits 5ft from the NNW, with light offshore winds from the WNW. For a brief moment, it’s clean. The energy is moderate at 274, but with a short 8-second period, the waves will be a bit dumpy. Still, glassy conditions make it the best bet so far, best for intermediates.

The real standout, and I mean the one that’s got me buzzing, is Saturday the 19th of July. Early morning, we’ve got a solid 8ft swell from the NNW. That’s expert territory – over 8ft is for experienced surfers only. The combined energy is massive at 1333, indicating strong to very strong wave energy. Winds are light cross-onshore from the NW, but it's clean enough to handle. However, the period is a short 8 seconds, so expect it to be a bit fat and sectiony at the beach. This spot, Costa Nova, is a beach/jetty setup, so with the size and short period, it’s going to be a handful – definitely not for beginners. The best call here is for the confident crew only. Sunday afternoon drops off to 8ft with onshore wind, so get it early.

Monday the 20th is still pumping at 7ft but with fresh cross-onshore winds that will mess up the surface.

So, to wrap it up: the first week and a half is a write-off. Saturday the 12th to Tuesday the 15th offers some marginal, small waves for the desperate. Your absolute top pick is the morning of Saturday the 19th of July – big, meaty, and powerful, but only if you’ve got the skills. The water temp sits around 64°F at the start, which is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual.

Stay salty,
Rusty

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