Arpoador Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here for a look at what’s cooking on the Rio coast.

The next two weeks are a real patchwork of clean windows and onshore slop. Arpador’s the only spot in the frame, and the water’s sitting at about 74°, a touch warmer than we’d normally see at this time – nothing wild, just a little extra warmth.

The first chance to get wet is the morning of Saturday, July 5th, but it’s a bit average. A 6ft south swell with a 12-second period, but the wind is out of the WSW and cross-on, making it bumpy. You can get out if you’re desperate, but it won’t be pretty.

The best session of the whole run comes on Monday morning, July 6th. The swell drops to 5ft from the south, with an 11-second period, but the big win is the wind – a light NE breeze that’s cross-offshore, keeping the face smooth. The combined swell energy is moderate (708). Arpador is fairly exposed to the south, so it’ll be catching that energy cleanly. That’s your call to paddle out for a session with real potential.

Tuesday morning, July 7th, is also worth a mention. It’s smaller – about 4ft from the SSE, with a 10-second period – but the wind is glassy, out of the WNW at just 3 mph. That will be butter. The energy is a bit lower (516), but for a clean, easy morning glide, it’s hard to beat. The afternoon on Tuesday goes south fast with a strong SW onshore wind, so get out early.

We hit a long, dull stretch from the 8th to the 11th, with mostly onshore winds and small, messy waves. Thursday morning, July 9th, has a tiny 3ft south swell with a nice NNE offshore wind making it clean, but the energy is weak (354). Nothing to get excited about.

Sunday, July 12th, offers a double hit of clean conditions. The morning brings a 3ft SE swell with a 12-second period and a light NE cross-off wind, while the afternoon goes dead calm – glassy, with a 3ft south swell and a longer 14-second period and moderate energy (518). That afternoon could be a sneaky good session if the tides are right.

After that, the swell dies hard, with waves slipping below 2ft through the middle of the week (14th to 16th). It’s not worth the drive.

A fresh pulse shows up on the morning of Friday, July 17th, with a 6ft south swell and a 10-second period, but the wind is cross-on from the WSW, messing up the surface. The energy is moderate (563), but it’s not clean. Finally, on Sunday morning, July 19th, we get one more good clean window: a 4ft south swell with a 13-second period, a light east breeze blowing cross-off, and moderate energy (561). Not huge, but you’ll find a few lined-up runners.

Bottom line: the second week is mostly small and weak, so don’t plan your schedule around it. The clear winner is the morning of July 6th – that’s your best shot at a clean, quality session on a solid south swell.

Rusty.

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