Zippers-Costa Azul Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Right off the bat, we’ve got a window of small but clean surf kicking off Thursday morning, August 13th. The swell is coming in at 3 ft from the SSW with a period of 16 seconds, which is a nice long-period groundswell. The real treat here is the wind: glassy, absolutely no breeze. The water is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The combined swell energy is moderate (442), and it’s setting up for clean, glassy conditions. That Thursday morning session is the standout for the whole period – it’s not big, but it’s beautiful. The afternoon holds even better with a touch more energy (696) and still glassy, making it a close second. Zippers is a consistent beach-and-reef setup, so you can expect a few others in the water – crowds are “often” here, so don’t expect solitude.

The run continues into Friday, August 14th, but the morning is a write-off with a cross-onshore breeze from the ESE making things choppy. The afternoon picks up a bit: the swell bumps to 5 ft from the SW, and the energy jumps to strong (1235), but it’s still cross-onshore, so it’s marginal. It’s a bit of a tease.

Saturday, August 15th, has a similar story. Morning is onshore, but the afternoon cleans up nicely with a cross-offshore breeze from the WSW. The swell drops slightly to 4 ft from the SSW, but the energy is still strong (851) and the wave comment says “very good surf conditions.” That Saturday afternoon is another solid option.

Sunday, August 16th, is a rinse and repeat: onshore morning, then a clean afternoon with a risk of thunderstorms. The swell is 4 ft from the SSW. It’s doable, but nothing special.

We hit a bit of a lull from Monday, August 17th, through Wednesday, August 19th. The swell stays around 3 ft to 4 ft, but the wind is iffy, and Wednesday morning is rated as poor conditions. You’d be better off waiting.

Thursday, August 20th, brings a spike in size – 7 ft from the SSW, but with a short period of just 7 seconds. That’s junky, windswell energy. It’s getting up there in size for a beginner, but the quality is poor. The afternoon drops back to 3 ft.

The final week is a slow fade. The swell drops to 2 ft–3 ft, and the best option is the Tuesday morning of August 25th. That’s over a week away, but it’s a promising long-range call: 3 ft from the SW with a very long period of 22 seconds, light cross-offshore wind, and very good surf conditions predicted. The energy is moderate (965). It’s a long way out, so keep your hopes flexible, but that one has potential.

Overall, the first half of the run is your best bet. Thursday, August 13th, is the real gem. The second half is mostly small and wind-suspect, with that one promising Tuesday morning late in the month.

Rusty.

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