Zippers-Costa Azul Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’ve been staring at this 16-day window for Zippers-Costa Azul. It’s a beach and reef setup, exposed to the south, and there’s a solid run of groundswell to get excited about, but the early part of the week is a bit of a tease with winds and conditions playing hard to get. The water temperature is sitting at 87°F, which is a massive 5°F warmer than usual for this time of year – it’s like the ocean’s having a heatwave, and you’ll feel it in the water.

We kick off Friday, August 28th, with a 4ft SSW swell riding a very long 17-second period, and the combined energy is pumping at 1127. That’s a lot of juice for a 4ft wave, meaning those sets will have some serious push. The morning wind is a light cross-shore, but the surf is described as marginal, so it’s not quite coming together. The afternoon cleans up with a cross-off breeze, but the score’s still not firing. Saturday, August 29th, is more of the same – 5ft SSW swell, 16-second period, but the morning is cross-on and the conditions are just okay. The afternoon sees a cross-off wind and clean faces, but the quality is still not quite there. By Sunday, August 30th, the swell bumps up to 6ft SSW with a 14-second period and 1370 combined energy, but the morning is cross-on and the score is low. It’s frustrating because there’s so much energy in the water, but the wind is just not playing ball.

The standout opens up on Friday, September 4th, in the afternoon. We’ve got a 5ft SSW swell, 16-second period, and 1348 combined energy. The wind is a gentle cross-off breeze, and the conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. That’s the one. The water’s still warm, the swell is solid, and the wind is clean. This is the best of the 16 days, no doubt. If you’re an intermediate or better, that’s your session. The Sunday morning, September 6th, is also worth a mention – 4ft SSW swell, 15-second period, and 1018 combined energy, with glassy conditions and a score that says excellent for experienced surfers. It’s smaller, but the glassy wind will make it clean and fun. The following Monday, September 7th, has glassy mornings too, but the swell is dropping to 3ft, so it’s more of a longboard day.

The second week is quieter. Wednesday, September 9th, afternoon has a glassy 3ft SSW swell, 16-second period, and 711 combined energy – clean but small. Thursday, September 10th, is a bit bigger at 4ft to 4ft, but the winds are onshore or cross-on, so it’s not a standout. The real highlight in the second week is Friday, September 11th, afternoon – 4ft SW swell, 15-second period, 645 combined energy, and glassy conditions. It’s a nice little window of clean surf. By Saturday, September 12th, the swell drops to 3ft and the conditions are poor, so that’s the end of the run.

Overall, don’t waste your time on the early days – the swell is there, but the wind is messy. Hold out for Friday, September 4th, afternoon, and you’ll be rewarded with a proper, clean groundswell. The Sunday, September 6th, morning with glassy conditions is a solid backup. The rest is for the patient or the longboarders.

Rusty.

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