Atalaia (Molhes) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s your local surf reporter Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming our way for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’re looking at a pretty average run of surf. It’s not a total washout, but there’s no real fire in the forecast for a while. The first few days are a bit of a write-off with small, weak waves, so don’t get your hopes up for a buzz this week.

The first real glimmer of hope pops up on Friday, 21st August. The morning at Atalaia (Molhes) will see a clean 3ft swell from the ENE, but the real story is the afternoon. The wind swings offshore from the WSW at 15 mph, cleaning things right up on a 3ft wave. The combined energy is moderate (131), so it’s not a monster, but with that offshore wind, it’s the best session of the first week. The swell direction isn’t a perfect match for the optimum SSE, but a clean, offshore wave is a wave.

We then hit a bit of a lull through the weekend and into the start of the next week. The swell drops and the wind turns messy. There’s a bit of a tease on Sunday, 23rd August with a longer period swell (11-12 seconds) from the SE, but the energy levels are still ordinary and the winds are funky, so it’s a gamble.

Now, the standout of the whole 16-day window is undeniably Tuesday, 25th August. The morning session is where it’s at. We’ve got a solid 4ft swell from the SE, but the real kicker is the period – a solid 14 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell with some grunt. The combined energy is strong (460), and the wind is a light cross-offshore from the SSW. The water temperature is sitting at 66°, which is about normal for the time of year. This is the one to circle on the calendar. The swell is a great match for the optimum SSE direction, and with that clean wind, Atalaia (Molhes) should be firing clean, lined-up waves. It’s big enough for intermediates to have a blast, and the longer period will make paddling out a bit easier. Just keep in mind, with a long period swell like this, the wave might wall up a bit on a beach break, but the jetty here should help organise it.

After that, it tails off again. The rest of the week is small, with the swell dropping to 2ft or less, and the winds are all over the shop. We’re looking at a long gap of small, poor-quality surf right through to the end of the month. There’s a glassy morning on Monday, 31st August, but it’s only 3ft of ENE windswell with weak energy (99), so it’s more of a longboard session than anything to get excited about. The first day of September doesn’t offer much more.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off, but Friday afternoon is a clean, fun option. Don’t bother with the weekend. The real gem is the Tuesday, 25th August morning session. That’s your standout. After that, it’s back to the small stuff.

Rusty.

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