Zippers-Costa Azul Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at the coming swell window for our local stretch. Right off the bat, I gotta say, the water is cookin' at a balmy 89°, which is a solid 6° warmer than normal for this time of year – that's real unusual, so you'll be in for a warm one if you're paddling out at Zippers-Costa Azul.

The first few days are a bit of a struggle. Sunday the 23rd is a write-off with weak 2ft surf and a messy cross-shore wind. Monday the 24th is no better. We've got a bit more size pushing in, but that cross-onshore breeze is making a mess of things. Tuesday the 25th afternoon is where it starts to get interesting. The wind goes glassy and we get a clean 2ft SW groundswell pushing in with a long 16-second period. The combined energy is moderate at 543, nothing huge, but that glassy surface will make for some fun little waves.

Wednesday and Thursday are pretty average, with small cross-shore conditions and marginal surf. Friday the 28th morning sees a jump in size to 4ft from the SSW with a 17-second period, and the energy ramps up to 1151. The wind is onshore, so it's not clean, but there's some push there. By Saturday the 30th afternoon, we're looking at a solid 7ft SSW swell with a clean cross-off wind. That's getting into the territory where it's a bit much for beginners, but for the rest of us, it'll be a fun wall.

The real standout, though, is Monday the 31st in the morning. The swell drops back to a manageable 5ft from the SSW (10-second period) and the wind goes dead glass. That's a recipe for perfect, clean lines. The energy is still moderate at 811. Then we get a bit of a lull before the next big push.

Alright, looking into the first week of September, the surf starts to build again. The 2nd of September shows a 6ft SSW swell with a light cross-onshore, but it'll be workable. Don't even bother on the 3rd and 4th – that wind is howling out of the east and southeast at gale force, bringing a stormy 8ft to 12ft swell and massive energy readings of 2768 and 5609. It's blown-out chaos, strictly for the kamikazes or the kite crew.

The big news is Sunday the 6th of September – and I mean *big*. We've got a solid 16ft SSE groundswell rolling in with a 13-second period and an absolutely staggering energy reading of 8140. The wind is a light offshore from the NW, so the surface should be clean. This is for expert surfers only, no question. That's a serious amount of water moving. Monday the 7th morning cleans up nicely with the wind going glassy and the swell dropping to a much more manageable 8ft, making for excellent conditions for experienced surfers.

So, to wrap it up: the best on offer is the glassy morning on Monday the 31st of August for clean, fun surf. And for the big-wave chargers, that Sunday the 6th of September is the one to circle – just be ready for a beast.

Stay wet.
Rusty.

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