Zippers-Costa Azul Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for us. The next couple of days are going to be a messy affair, but we’ve got a few windows of clean, lined-up swell later on that are worth waiting for.

We’re starting off with a big pulse of energy, but it comes with a side of strong, onshore wind. Wednesday afternoon you’re looking at a solid 10ft south swell with a period of 12 seconds, and the combined energy is a massive 3149. That’s a lot of water moving, but with a 12 mph ESE wind blowing right onto it, it’s going to be chopped up and hard to manage. The water is sitting at 88°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick wetsuit. Thursday is a write-off with strong SE winds and poor conditions, so don’t bother.

Friday and Saturday morning are still marginal – the wind stays cross-onshore, and the swell drops from 8ft down to 5ft. The real turn comes Saturday afternoon. That’s when the wind swings to a light WNW cross-offshore breeze, and the swell cleans right up. You’ve got a 4ft swell from the SSW with a lovely long 15-second period, and the energy has dropped to a much more manageable 1331. It’s going to be clean and lined-up at Zippers-Costa Azul. This is the standout of the first week for experienced surfers. For the rest of the weekend, Sunday afternoon sees clean 5ft WSW groundswell with a gentle offshore from the NW, and the energy at 1121. It’s a close second.

After that, the surf settles into a long, fun run of clean, smaller waves through the whole second week. From Monday the 7th through to Thursday the 17th, we’ve got a string of days with glassy or offshore wind conditions. The swell drops steadily from 5ft down to around 2ft, but the period stays long – often between 14 and 21 seconds – keeping the shape good for the point and reef setup here. The 17th of September is a proper dark horse: you’ve got a 2ft southwest swell with a 21-second period and glassy conditions. The energy jumps to 832, and it’s labelled as very good surf conditions. That’s a long-period gem for those who know how to read a point break.

The big takeaway: don’t fight the wind early. Save your energy for Saturday afternoon through Sunday, and then keep your eyes on the second week, especially the morning of the 17th. The crowds here can get heavy, so pick your moment.

Rusty.

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