Zippers-Costa Azul Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks. Honestly, the outlook is pretty bleak to start. There’s a long stretch of messy, blown-out, or just plain weak surf ahead. We’re looking at a gap from now until about the morning of Monday, August 31st, before anything starts to look interesting. The first real window of decent quality shows up then, so don’t bother checking the wax on your boards just yet.

Let’s break it down. The only spot on the radar is Zippers-Costa Azul. It’s a beach and reef setup, exposed to the south, and it usually handles a swell. The water temperature is sitting at 89°F, which is a whopping 6°F warmer than average for this time of year. That’s very unusual, so expect bathwater conditions.

For the next week or so, you’re looking at a lot of onshore and cross-onshore winds, mostly from the south and southwest, with moderate breeze to gentle breeze strength. The swell stays small, mostly under 3 ft, with short to moderate periods. The combined energy is weak to moderate, ranging from around 325 to 896. That’s not going to do much. A few sessions on August 27th (Thursday afternoon) might look clean with a light cross-offshore breeze, but the swell is only 2 ft, so it’s barely a ripple.

The first sign of life comes on Monday, August 31st. Monday morning has a 7 ft swell from the SSW with a 13-second period. That’s a moderate groundswell. The wind is light and cross-shore from the SW, which should keep it tidy. The combined energy is strong at 1793. That afternoon looks even better: still 8 ft from the SSW, but the wind shifts to a clean cross-offshore from the west at 12 mph. This could be the standout of the whole period. The swell is solid, and the wind is cooperating. Keep in mind, at 8 ft, it’s getting into expert territory, especially on a reef setup.

Tuesday, September 1st, is another good one. Morning has 4 ft swell from the SSW with a period of 10 seconds, and the wind is completely glassy – dead calm, 0 mph from the SW. That is a major positive. Expect clean, smooth conditions. The afternoon picks up to 5 ft, but the wind becomes a light cross-shore from the SSW, so still very surfable. Combined energy is moderate to strong, around 685 to 737.

After that, things go downhill again. The first week of September brings strong onshore winds from the east and southeast, building into a large, powerful swell. By September 5th (Saturday), we’re looking at a 10 ft swell from the SSW with a 15-second period. That’s a very long period groundswell, which will produce a lot of energy. The combined energy hits a massive 3580. But the wind is howling onshore from the SSE at 12 mph. That’s a messy, dangerous setup for paddle surfing. With the beach and reef setup, this is more interesting for kite surfing than for a surfer on a standard board. The conditions are just too raw.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off. Your best bet is to sit tight until Monday, August 31st, and Tuesday, September 1st. That’s your window. The swell direction is consistently from the SSW, which is close to the optimum S direction for this spot. The standout session is Monday afternoon with 8 ft of clean swell and a cross-offshore wind. If you’re an experienced surfer, that’s the one to aim for. The glassy Tuesday morning is a solid second choice for smaller, cleaner waves.

Stay patient.

Rusty.

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