
Surf Forecasts:
Arpoador surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 7s period, E swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 11s period, SSW swell with 2,764 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 8s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Arpoador this week:
The surf forecast for Arpoador over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.2m and 12s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Arpoador in the next 16 days are 3.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 25) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (-03) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Sun 26th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Arpoador over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into the outlook for Arpoador. We’ve got a solid block of clean, small waves on the horizon, but we’ve got to wade through a bit of a flat, windy spell first.
The overall pattern is a slow start. The first few days are a bit of a write-off for anything worth paddling out for. From Monday the 20th through to Thursday the 24th of July, it’s mostly small, short-period windswell with cross-off or even onshore winds. The energy is weak, with a combined energy reading of just 78 on Monday morning, and it drops even lower through the week. The water temp is sitting at 71°F, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no need for a thick wetsuit.
The first real glimmer of hope comes on Saturday the 25th of July. The morning session at Arpoador is looking promising. We’ve got a clean 3ft swell from the south with a light offshore breeze from the NNE. The energy picks up to a moderate 181, and the conditions are clean. It’s not a monster, but it’s surfable and fun. The break is consistent and fairly exposed, so it’ll handle that south swell alright. The crowd factor is “often” here, so expect a few friends out with you. This is a beginner-friendly spot, so that 3ft is perfect for a longboard or a funboard.
Sunday the 26th is a no-go. The wind swings onshore and gets strong, with a fresh 19 mph cross-on breeze. The swell jumps to 7ft, but it’s lumpy and choppy, with a combined energy of 690. That’s a lot of energy, but it’s all messy. Honestly, with that kind of wind and swell, it’s looking more interesting for kite surfing than a proper paddle session.
Now, the standout of the whole forecast. Mark your calendars for Tuesday morning, the 28th of July. This is the pick of the bunch. We’ve got a 5ft swell from the SSE, with a period of 10 seconds, and the wind is glassy – zero knots from the NW. The energy is a solid 402, and the conditions are enough to get the heart rate up. This is the best on offer. The direction is right in the sweet spot for Arpoador, which loves an SSE swell. It’s clean, it’s got some push, and for a beginner spot, it’s still very manageable. Just be aware, with that glassy morning, the lineup will be busy.
The rest of the second week is a bit of a mixed bag. Monday the 27th has some size but cross-onshore wind ruins it. After that Tuesday morning, it drops back to small, clean mornings on the 29th, 30th, and 31st, but with weak energy. The long-range stuff from August 1st to 4th shows some promise with a longer period SSE groundswell (13-14 seconds) and clean, glassy mornings. On Sunday the 3rd of August, we’ve got a 3ft swell with a 13-second period and glassy conditions. That’s a beautiful combo for a point break, but at Arpoador, a beach-and-reef setup, that long period might make the waves a bit straight. Still, it’ll be clean and fun for a longboard. The energy is moderate at 275. It’s a promising but less certain call for that far out.
There’s a noticeable gap from the 22nd to the 24th with absolutely no recommendations. A few days of flat, windy nothing. But after that, it starts to pick up again.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 31°C on Wed morning, min 21°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 28°C on Sat afternoon, min 19°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | S 9 | S 8 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSW 9 | S 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
64 | 133 | 107 | 66 | 176 | 89 | 63 | 35 | 51 | 36 | 26 | 15 | 22 | 67 | 164 | 169 | 141 | 110 | 98 | 603 | 850 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-on | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 6:57PM0.94m | 7:14AM0.99m | 7:31PM0.89m | 8:04AM0.90m | 8:08PM0.83m | 9:12AM0.80m | 9:04PM0.77m | 11:34AM0.82m | 10:54PM0.77m | 12:16PM0.87m | 11:49PM0.84m | 1:00PM0.94m | 00:34AM0.93m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:46PM0.44m | 1:53AM0.52m | 2:27PM0.54m | 2:38AM0.50m | 4:37PM0.59m | 4:53AM0.42m | 5:40PM0.55m | 5:45AM0.31m | 6:23PM0.49m | 6:28AM0.21m | 7:10PM0.43m | 7:16AM0.14m | 8:02PM0.37m | ||||||||
6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | |
— | 5:25 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 26 | 24 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 31 | 30 | 27 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 26 | 28 | 26 | 21 | 20 | 20 |
Feels °C | 26 | 24 | 23 | 28 | 26 | 25 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 26 | 28 | 26 | 17 | 16 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | S 5 | SSW 5 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 15 | S 11 |
64 | 50 | 107 | 66 | 52 | 89 | 63 | 35 | 51 | 36 | 26 | 11 | 7 | 67 | 164 | 169 | 141 | 110 | 92 | 72 | 850 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | ESE 8 | S 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | S 12 | E 8 | E 8 |
14 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 31 | 80 | 5 | 1 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 15 | — | — | — | S 13 | — | S 15 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 9 | ESE 8 | — | SSW 11 | ESE 3 | S 15 | S 14 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 8 |
— | 4 | — | — | — | 4 | — | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 11 | — | 12 | 1 | 4 | 32 | 19 | 10 | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 8 | — | — | E 8 | — | — | — | — | WSW 4 | SW 5 | — | — | SSE 4 | — | — | ENE 4 | WSW 2 | SW 6 | SSW 9 | — |
— | 133 | — | — | 176 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 7 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 6 | 1 | 98 | 603 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 116 | 511 | 13 | 6 | 138 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 168 | 234 | 32 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Rio de Janeiro | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Brazil | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Arpoador Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Arpoador provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Arpoador can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Arpoador surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Arpoador) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Arpoador may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Arpoador is 14 km (9 miles) from the very large city of Niteroi. If you plan a holiday in Rio de Janeiro, look for hotels and other accommodation in Niteroi. Niteroi has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as cheap car hire and transport links.










