Zippers-Costa Azul Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

Alright, so we’ve got a bit of a slow start across the 16-day window here at Zippers-Costa Azul. The first few days are looking pretty average, with small swell and winds that aren't doing us any favours. The real meat of the forecast is hanging out in the final week, with a nice pulse of SSW groundswell lining up for the end of August and into the start of September. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing wild.

Monday 17th August kicks things off with a clean-looking morning. The wind is light and onshore from the SSE at 6 mph, but the swell is a weak 4 ft from the SW with a solid 14-second period. The combined energy is moderate (499). It’s just a bit too weak to get excited about. The afternoon gets a bit better with a cross-off wind from the WSW at 12 mph, and the swell bumps up to 4 ft from the SSW with a 16-second period, giving us a moderate energy reading of 706. It’s clean, but still not a standout.

Tuesday 18th August morning is a write-off – poor conditions with cross-on wind and a weak 3 ft swell. The afternoon, however, has a chance. There’s a risk of thunderstorms, but a WSW wind at 9 mph goes cross-off, and the swell is 4 ft from the SSW with a 15-second period. The energy is moderate (570) and the wave comment says "expect very good surf conditions." It’s a solid window, but the size is still small.

From Wednesday 19th through to Friday 21st, we’re in a bit of a lull. Swell drops below 3 ft, winds are messy, and the scores are low. It’s a definite gap in the action.

Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd see a slight uptick. The swell comes back to 3 ft - 3 ft from the SSW with a 16 to 18-second period, but the wind is mostly cross-onshore or cross. The energy is moderate (406 to 570), but it’s still marginal.

The next week, Monday 24th to Wednesday 26th, is pretty flat and poor. The swell is small, under 3 ft, and the wind is onshore or cross-onshore. Not worth paddling out for.

Now, Thursday 27th August is a total write-off. Strong ESE winds at 12-16 mph create choppy, poor conditions. The swell is 3 ft to 3 ft, but the wind is a killer. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Friday 28th August finally shows some life. The morning is still cross-onshore, but the swell builds to 4 ft from the SSW at 16 seconds, with a moderate energy of 715. The afternoon is the start of the good stuff. A cross-off wind from the SW at 12 mph, with a clean 4 ft SSW swell at 16 seconds and an energy of 819. It’s still marginal due to tide, but it’s getting there.

The highlight: Saturday 29th August and Sunday 30th August. This is the best on offer. The swell hits 5 ft from the SSW, with a 17-second period on Saturday afternoon and a 16-second period on Sunday. The combined energy jumps to strong, reading 1345 on Saturday afternoon and 1180 on Sunday morning. The wind is cross-off on Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon, with a WSW breeze at 9-12 mph. The wave comment for Sunday afternoon says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers." This is a long-period groundswell, so it’ll be best at the reef and point breaks around here, with nice long lines and easy paddling between sets. The size is getting up there, so it’s more for intermediate and above. The morning sessions have light cross-onshore winds, but the afternoons will be clean. This is your window.

Monday 31st August hangs on with a 4 ft SSW swell, but the winds are light and onshore in the morning, and cross in the afternoon. It’s still a reasonable option, but the energy drops back to moderate.

Tuesday 1st September sees the swell drop back to 3 ft, and we’re back to small, marginal conditions to close out the forecast.

So, to boil it down: Don’t bother for the first week and a half. The standout is the weekend of Saturday 29th August and Sunday 30th August. The Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon sessions at Zippers-Costa Azul are the best on offer, with clean, cross-off winds and a solid 5 ft, long-period SSW groundswell. It’s a consistent spot, so crowds are likely, especially on a weekend. Get out there.

Rusty.

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