Conditions at Costa Nova in August
August: Late Summer Trade Swell
August remains deep in the summer pattern, but there is a subtle increase in energy as the Atlantic slowly begins to wake up. Average swell is still 1.4m (4-5ft), but period ticks up to 9.0s and the NW (46.4 per cent) and NNW (31.7 per cent) sources keep a constant stream of waist-to-chest-high surf rolling through. It is not big, but it is more consistent than July, and the WNW contribution (15.6 per cent) hints at a few more organised groundswells toward month's end.
The wind is still predominantly NNW (49.3 per cent) and NW (15.2 per cent), giving only 12 per cent ideal offshore conditions. Despite that, the long summer daylight and water temperature of 17.9°C make August a great month for loggers and funboard riders looking for small, clean corners on an early morning E/SE wind. Air temps average 21.2°C with little rain (0.61mm/day), so the biggest challenge is finding a window without the trade-wind bump in your face.
Average Spot conditions at Costa Nova in August
Swell history for August
Wind history for August
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Costa Nova during August. Based on historical data, there is a % probability of groundswell occurring this month. The chart below provides a detailed breakdown of the average wave height distribution, offering deep insights into the swell quality and surf potential you can expect at Costa Nova for your next trip in August.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Costa Nova for August. Our analysis shows that favorable offshore or side-shore winds coincide with surfable swell approximately % of the time. The accompanying graph illustrates the average size distribution of waves during these optimal wind windows at Costa Nova.