
Surf Forecasts:
Arrifana surf forecast from 10 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 16 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period, NW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 16 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period, NW swell with 372 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 16 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period with NW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Arrifana this week:
The surf forecast for Arrifana over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Arrifana in the next 16 days are 1.6m 8s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 13) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (WEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Arrifana over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for our little corner of the coast.
Honestly, the next couple of weeks are going to test your patience. We’ve got a long, flat, and messy stretch ahead before anything worth getting wet for shows up. The swell energy is weak to moderate at best for most of it, and the wind just won’t play ball.
Let’s start at Arrifana. This is an advanced beach and reef setup, fairly exposed to the NW swell. The water is sitting at a chilly 65.8°, which is a whopping 4.7° colder than normal for this time of year – that’s a serious anomaly, so grab the thickest wetsuit you’ve got.
Right now, Monday the 10th through to Friday the 14th, we’ve got tiny waves – barely 1ft to 3ft – and it’s all cross-offshore wind. The combined swell energy is weak, mostly between 42 and 221, and the period is short. It’s clean but gutless. Not worth paddling out for.
Saturday the 15th shows a slight bump to 3.6ft in the morning, but the wind is cross-off and the energy climbs to 298 – still weak to moderate. The afternoon gets a bit more size at 3.9ft from the NW with a 10-second period, but the wind goes cross and it gets choppy. Still, it’s a marginal call at best.
Sunday the 16th sees the biggest swell of this early period – 5.2ft from the NW in the morning – but the wind is cross, and the energy is moderate at 392. By the afternoon, it’s cross-onshore with 4.9ft and choppy. Not the quality you want.
Monday the 17th morning is the only glimmer in this first week. We get 3.9ft from the NW, 8-second period, and glassy conditions. Combined energy is 221 – moderate. For a few hours, it’ll be surfable but very ordinary. Best of a bad bunch, but still nothing to write home about.
From Tuesday the 18th through to Sunday the 23rd, we drop back to tiny surf – 1.3ft to 3ft – with weak energy and mostly cross or onshore wind. A total write-off.
Now, here’s the standout. Look ahead to Tuesday the 25th. That’s over a week away, so take it as promising but not locked in. The morning shows 5.6ft from the NW with a 10-second period, light offshore wind, and clean conditions. The combined energy jumps to 623 – that’s strong. By the afternoon, it’s 5.9ft from the NW, 10-second period, with 1013 energy. That’s proper power. The wind goes cross, so expect a little texture, but this is the best swell of the whole outlook. For the experienced crew at Arrifana, this is the session to circle on your calendar. Just be aware that at 5.9ft, it’s getting solid for this break, so it’s expert territory.
Crowds at Arrifana can be an issue sometimes, so if you can get out early on the 25th, you’ll have cleaner waves before the afternoon crowd turns up.
That’s the story. Not much happening for a long while, but the end of the run has some serious potential.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Wed morning, min 18°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Thu morning, min 18°C on Fri night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | NW 7 | NW 7 | WNW 10 | NW 11 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | NW 7 | NW 8 | NW 10 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 9 | NNW 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
68 | 68 | 27 | 73 | 19 | 40 | 46 | 135 | 153 | 163 | 123 | 179 | 139 | 103 | 322 | 156 | 273 | 330 | 372 | 326 | 247 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 1:21PM2.68m | 1:55AM2.58m | 2:14PM2.91m | 2:45AM2.73m | 3:01PM3.09m | 3:29AM2.83m | 3:44PM3.19m | 4:11AM2.87m | 4:26PM3.18m | 4:50AM2.83m | 5:06PM3.07m | 5:29AM2.74m | 5:45PM2.88m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:43PM0.29m | 7:58AM0.34m | 8:35PM0.09m | 8:45AM0.18m | 9:20PM-0.05m | 9:28AM0.07m | 10:02PM-0.10m | 10:09AM0.04m | 10:41PM-0.06m | 10:48AM0.08m | 11:19PM0.06m | 11:27AM0.20m | 11:55PM0.24m | ||||||||
6:47 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | |
— | 8:34 | — | — | 8:32 | — | — | 8:30 | — | — | 8:30 | — | — | 8:29 | — | — | 8:28 | — | — | 8:27 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 24 | 23 | 19 | 24 | 23 | 19 | 25 | 23 | 20 | 27 | 24 | 20 | 25 | 24 | 19 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 24 | 24 | 21 |
Feels °C | 23 | 22 | 18 | 23 | 22 | 18 | 24 | 22 | 19 | 25 | 23 | 19 | 24 | 22 | 16 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 25 | 24 | 23 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 7 | NNW 9 | NW 7 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | — | NW 8 | NW 10 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 9 | NNW 9 |
68 | 31 | 27 | 10 | 19 | 40 | 46 | 135 | 153 | 163 | 123 | 179 | 139 | 103 | — | 156 | 273 | 330 | 372 | 326 | 247 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 9 | NW 11 | WNW 6 | NNW 10 | NNW 12 | NW 11 | WNW 11 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 6 | WNW 12 | NW 11 | — | — | — | S 18 | S 18 | NW 9 | SW 16 | S 16 | SW 15 |
41 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 15 | 31 | 40 | 18 | 16 | 26 | 56 | 19 | — | — | — | 6 | 6 | 29 | 10 | 5 | 8 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 11 | — | WNW 11 | NNW 13 | NNW 9 | N 8 | NW 10 | — | — | N 9 | NNW 9 | — | — | — | — | S 18 | S 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | W 11 |
3 | — | 11 | 17 | 8 | 1 | 25 | — | — | 2 | 8 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WNW 7 | NW 5 | NW 7 | NW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 5 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 8 | — | — | — | — |
— | 68 | 51 | 73 | 50 | 90 | 57 | 51 | 107 | 75 | 57 | 170 | 82 | 90 | 322 | 142 | 119 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 32 | 670 | 55 | 32 | 587 | 70 | 32 | 587 | 26 | 26 | 260 | 55 | 55 | 265 | 55 | 55 | 393 | 0 | 31 | 378 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in The Algarve | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Portugal | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Arrifana Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Arrifana provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Arrifana can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Arrifana 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 (Arrifana) 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 Arrifana 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.
Arrifana is 27 km (17 miles) from Lagos. If you plan a holiday in The Algarve, look for hotels and other accommodation in Lagos. Lagos has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











