Arrifana Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Arrifana. This is a solid set-up, a beach and reef break that needs a good clean window to show its best, and I reckon we’ve got some.

First things first, the water is a touch nippy for this time of year, coming in at 66° with a -5° anomaly. That's notably colder than usual for September, so bring a decent suit if you're paddling out at Arrifana.

The pattern starts a bit slow this weekend. Saturday afternoon (12th) is a glassy start but the swell is tiny, just 3ft from the NNW with weak energy (116) and short period, so it’s really nothing to get excited about. Sunday morning (13th) is still small at 2ft, but we get a nice offshore wind from the NE, and the sun is out. It’s surfable but nothing special.

The first real standout arrives Sunday afternoon (13th). The wind drops to glassy, calm conditions, and a 4ft NW groundswell rolls in with a long 13-second period, packing moderate energy (406). This is clean, glassy surf. The combo of that offshore-friendly swell direction and dead calm wind makes this the pick of the first few days. It’s advanced-level only here, though.

Monday morning (14th) keeps that nice trend going: 4ft NW swell, 12 seconds, clean offshore NNE breeze, moderate energy (338). Another good session before the wind shuffles around in the afternoon.

After that, Tuesday (15th) drops right off – small, junky waves barely worth mentioning. Wednesday (16th) sees a spike in size – 8ft and then 10ft – but the wind is a fresh 22 mph cross-off, and the period is short, so it’s lumpy, blown-out, and only for the brave or the kite crew. The energy does jump to strong (902 and 1281), but the quality is poor for a paddle board.

The real gold is later in the week. Friday morning (18th) brings 7ft from the NW with a moderate period (9 seconds), light offshore wind, and clean conditions – very good surf, strong energy (794). But the absolute standout looks like Saturday morning (19th September). We’ve got a clean 5ft NW groundswell with a lovely long 15-second period, glassy offshore breeze from the NE, and very strong combined energy (1178). This is a classic Arrifana day: long period groundswell, offshore, and clean. Keep in mind, a period that long can make beach breaks a bit straight, but this is a reef and beach mix, so it should hold shape nicely. The crowd profile is ‘sometimes’ here, so you might have company, but it’ll be worth it.

Sunday morning (20th) is another cracker: 5ft NW swell, 12 seconds, offshore ENE breeze, strong energy (732), very good surf. And Sunday afternoon is glassy again with 5ft – a beautiful full day.

Monday (21st) gets bigger, with 6-6ft, but the wind turns onshore and messy, so the quality drops. Tuesday morning (22nd) cleans up again with 5ft NW, 13 seconds, and a light cross-off – still very good.

After that, the surf slowly fades through the last week, with small, weak, and often onshore conditions from the 23rd to the 27th. Nothing worth chasing.

So, if you’re surfing Arrifana, the standout window is Sunday afternoon (13th) for the glassy cleanup, and Saturday morning (19th) for that perfect long-period groundswell with offshore winds. That’s the one to circle on the calendar.

Stay stoked,
Rusty

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