Arrifana Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s going on with the waves at Arrifana.

The first week or so is a bit of a write-off, to be honest. We’ve got a few small waves but the wind and quality just aren’t there for a proper session. The good news is that the second week really starts to turn things around, with a proper standout day that’s worth circling on the calendar.

Right from the start, the water here is running much colder than normal for this time of year (67°F), so you’ll want a decent suit.

Wednesday the 9th has some waist-to-chest high swell (5ft) from the NW, but a fresh 30 km/h cross-offshore wind is making it pretty messy. Combined energy is moderate at 326, but the surf quality is poor, so I’d give it a miss.

Thursday the 10th is more of the same – a bit of size (6ft) and a moderate breeze, but the conditions are marginal. Friday morning the 11th sees the wind drop to a glassy 5 km/h from the NE, which is a beautiful thing, but the swell drops to 4ft with a short period of 7 seconds. The energy is weak (209) and the waves are ordinary. You might get a few fun ones if you’re desperate, but it’s not worth racing for.

Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th are tiny and weak. Sunday morning has a long-period 14-second swell (221 energy) but it’s only 2ft – more of a rolling lump than a wave. The afternoon picks up a bit (4ft, 13-second period, 470 energy) and goes glassy, so that’s a better window for a light cruise, but still not a standout.

Monday the 14th morning is glassy with 4ft of NW groundswell (12-second period, 427 energy) – that’s actually a nice, clean, mellow session for a Monday morning. Afternoon turns cross-shore and choppy, so get it early.

Then there’s a real flat spell from Tuesday the 15th through to Wednesday the 16th, with tiny, weak waves and strong winds. Energy drops to under 100 on Tuesday, and Wednesday sees a fresh 30-35 km/h cross-offshore wind with 6-6ft of lumpy, poor quality swell. Not worth paddling out.

Thursday the 17th and Friday the 18th see the swell rebuild with moderate energy (over 600), but the wind is still cross-offshore and a bit strong. Friday morning with 6ft of NW swell and a gentle breeze looks the best of this stretch – clean waves, but the wind is still side-off, so not perfect.

Now, here’s the real standout. Monday the 21st of September. This is the one you’ve been waiting for. We’ve got a solid 7ft of long-period NW groundswell (14-13 seconds) with glassy conditions in the morning and a light offshore breeze in the afternoon. The combined energy is massive at 1851 and 1565 – that’s strong to very strong wave energy. The water is clean, the wind is light and glassy, and the swell has real power. The optimum direction is NW, and that’s exactly what we’re getting. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers – the size is over 8ft at peak, so it’s for experts only. The break is a beach and reef setup, so with that long period, it’ll be running down the reef and point, holding shape, and giving you proper barrels. The crowd is listed as “sometimes” so you might have a few locals out, but it’s worth it.

The rest of the second week fades out. Tuesday the 22nd has some decent size (6ft) but cross-shore wind and poor conditions. By Wednesday the 23rd and Thursday the 24th, it’s tiny and weak again.

So, bottom line: the first week and a half are mostly a dud, but that Monday the 21st is a proper gem. Mark it, get your sleep, and be on it early. That’s your best shot.

Rusty.

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