Atalaia (Molhes) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s not sugarcoat it: the surf over the next two weeks is pretty hit-and-miss. There are a couple of windows where you’ll be glad you made the trip, but you’ll have to pick your moments. Water’s around 67°F, which is normal for this time of year, so a wetsuit depending on your cold tolerance.

The first few days are a real struggle. From Wednesday the 9th through Monday the 14th, the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell is small, short-period stuff – 3ft and under, mostly from the east with an 8-second interval. That’s weak, jumbly energy. You’ll see the combined energy numbers spike a bit on Saturday the 12th, but it’s cross-onshore at 15 mph, so it’s a frothy mess.

Now, the first real glimmer is Tuesday the 15th in the morning. The wind goes offshore from the west at 6 mph, and the waves clean right up to 5ft from the east. Still short period, but that offshore wind will give Atalaia some shape and push. The afternoon goes glassy with a slightly smaller 4ft swell, but it’s weaker. Tuesday morning is your first decent chance.

The middle of the week gets messy again until Friday the 18th. That afternoon, we see a bump to 6ft from the east, but with a short 7-second period. The wind is glassy, though, so it’s a late-day option if you don’t mind the size and want smooth faces. Saturday the 19th is onshore junk.

Then comes the real standout. Sunday the 20th. The morning has 4ft of east swell and glassy conditions. But the afternoon is the best of the entire run: 5ft from the east with an 11-second period and 569 combined wave energy. That’s the most powerful, cleanest swell we’ll see. The wind is dead calm. This is the one you wait for. It’s still only around 5ft, so it’s fine for most surfers, but the longer period means it’ll have some real push and form.

The last few days, the 21st through the 24th, are pretty poor – weak, short-period swell with onshore winds. There’s not much to say, and it’ll likely be flat and sloppy.

So, if you’re picking your sessions, it’s Tuesday the 15th morning for a clean, smaller wave, and Sunday the 20th afternoon as the undeniable best on offer. Everything else is either blown out or too weak to bother with. Keep an eye on that Sunday forecast – it’s promising, but it’s a week out, so we’ll have to see if it holds.

Catch you in the water.

Rusty

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