Zippers-Costa Azul Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up for the next couple of weeks at Zippers-Costa Azul. This spot is a consistent beach-and-reef setup that’s exposed to the south swell, and it’s got a solid run of groundswell on the horizon. The water’s sitting at 88°F right now, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year—a good 5°F above average—so you’ll be comfortable in a shorty or even just boardies.

We kick off Saturday, August 29th, with some SSW groundswell at 5ft and a very long period of 16 seconds. The combined swell energy is strong at 1303. Morning’s got a light cross-on breeze from the south at 6 mph, so it’s a bit bumpy, but the afternoon cleans up nicely with a cross-off wind from the WSW at 12 mph. That long period means the waves will have plenty of punch, but at a beach-and-reef setup like this, the sets might be a bit walled and better for the reef section. It’s an intermediate-friendly size, but the crowds are often here, so expect company.

Sunday the 30th sees similar energy, with morning swell at 6ft from the SSW and a 14-second period, combined energy at 1370. That’s getting a bit hefty for beginners—over 5ft—but still solid for intermediates. The morning has clean offshore SE wind at 6 mph, making for some nice lines. Afternoon drops to 4ft but stays clean with cross-off WSW wind. Monday the 31st, the swell fades to 3ft in the morning, period drops to 13 seconds, and energy drops to 587. The wind’s onshore, so it’s a bit of a down day.

Tuesday, September 1st, is a weird one. Morning has a risk of thunderstorms and onshore ENE wind at 9 mph, with just 3ft of swell—not worth it. But then the afternoon turns glassy, with zero wind and 3ft of SSW swell at 13 seconds, energy at 596. That’s a real surprise window—clean, small, but fun if you’ve got a log. The calm conditions will make it a joy to paddle out.

Wednesday the 2nd through Friday the 4th, the swell builds back up from the SW, with periods around 16-18 seconds and energy climbing to 1846 by Friday morning. But the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, with moderate breezes, so the quality is marginal. Friday the 4th afternoon has a gentle cross-shore wind, but the swell is 5ft at 16 seconds, still a bit lumpy. Not your best days.

Now, here’s the standout. Saturday, September 5th, morning. We’ve got 4ft of SSW groundswell at 16 seconds, combined energy at 1170, and a light cross-off wind from the WSW at 6 mph. The conditions are clean, the waves will have good shape, and it’s rated excellent for experienced surfers. This is the pick of the window—solid groundswell, offshore-ish wind, and the reef will handle that long period nicely. Crowds are often, so get there early.

Sunday the 6th is also a treat, with glassy conditions in the morning and afternoon—light winds from the west and NNW, swell at 4ft and 15 seconds, energy around 700. Clean and fun, but smaller. Monday the 7th stays glassy in the morning, then clean offshores in the afternoon, with swell dropping to 3-3ft. Still worth a paddle.

After that, the second week gets smaller. Tuesday the 8th has a clean offshore wind from the NW, but the swell is tiny at 2ft with a very long 18-second period—energy at 477. That’s a log or longboard day. Wednesday the 9th through Sunday the 13th, the swell hovers around 2ft to 3ft, mostly from the SW, with periods of 13-17 seconds. The wind is mostly onshore or cross, so quality is poor to marginal. The energy drops to the 280-600 range, and it’s not worth getting excited about. There’s a gap of several days with no real recommendations here—just small, weak, and messy.

Overall, the best bet is Saturday, September 5th, morning, with that clean cross-off wind and solid groundswell. Sunday the 6th is a close second with glassy conditions. The long-range stuff from the 8th onward is promising but less certain, and the swell looks too small to get the heart pumping. If you’re a kite surfer, the windy afternoons with moderate breezes and cross-offs might be more interesting than paddle surfing on the smaller days.

Rusty out.

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