Zippers-Costa Azul Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, looking at the Zippers-Costa Azul stretch for the next couple of weeks. We've got a bit of a mixed bag coming, but there are a couple of proper windows if you're patient and pick your moments.

First up, the standout is Friday, August 14th, in the afternoon. The water is sitting at a very unusual 88°F, which is a solid 6°F warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s a big deal. The swell is a solid 5ft from the SW with a very long 17-second period, pumping in a ton of energy (1225). That kind of period groundswell will shape up nicely on the reef, and with a light cross-offshore wind from the WSW, the conditions are going to be clean for experienced surfers. This is the one to aim for if you can get out of work early.

The weekend drops off quick. Saturday morning still has some size at 5ft, but the wind turns onshore from the SE, making it pretty average. By Sunday, we're down to 4ft or so, and the wind stays messy. The first week looks pretty quiet otherwise, with small, mixed-up conditions right through until the end of the week. Thursday the 20th shows a little promise with a clean 3ft wave in the afternoon, and Friday morning the 21st goes glassy with a tiny 2ft SSW swell – a good little board-changer session, but nothing heavy.

Now, later on we get a big pulse of energy, but the timing is rough. On Sunday, August 23rd, a massive raw swell of 15ft from the SSE hits, but it's accompanied by onshore ESE winds of 19 mph. That’s not a surf forecast; that’s a mess. That kind of energy (over 8000) is purely for the experienced and even then it’s a battle. The conditions are poor for paddle surfing that day. It settles down a touch on Monday with 12ft, but still with storm influence.

The real second-week highlight pops up on Tuesday, August 25th. Both the morning and afternoon go glassy as a mirror, with the swell dropping back to a more manageable 7ft in the morning and 6ft in the afternoon, from the SW with a nice 12-second period. The energy is still strong (1384), but the wind is dead calm. This is when Zippers will turn on, offering clean, powerful lines. It's still heavy enough that it's a step up for beginners, but for anyone with a bit of experience, that Tuesday glass-off is the call. Wednesday the 26th looks good too, with another glassy morning and a clean 5ft swell.

After that, things get a bit lumpy again with some onshore wind and stormy vibe, so the end of the forecast window isn't as solid.

Bottom line: if you have to pick one, it’s Friday afternoon August 14th for the warm water and clean energy, and then Tuesday August 25th for the glassy conditions. The big swell late in the month is for experts with patience on a good day.

Rusty.

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