Atalaia (Molhes) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s shaping up at our local spot.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but the first real window of surfable waves kicks off on Monday afternoon, the 31st of August. The swell is small, just 3 ft from the ENE, with a period of 8 seconds, and the combined energy is weak (154). The wind is glassy from the west, which is the offshore direction here, so the surface should be clean. It’s a very ordinary, surfable wave, but nothing to get too excited about. The water temp is sitting at 68°, which is a touch warmer than average for this time of year.

Tuesday morning, the 1st of September, offers more of the same small stuff. 3 ft from the ESE, clean conditions with a light cross-offshore breeze (179). The afternoon turns ugly fast though, with a strong 12 mph SSE wind blowing cross-shore, making a mess of the 4 ft swell. That’s a write-off.

Wednesday the 2nd is where it gets a bit more interesting. Morning glassy conditions with a 4 ft ESE swell, and the combined energy jumps to 338. The wind is a flat calm 3 mph from the south, so it’s glassy. Expect good surf conditions. The afternoon sees the wind turn onshore, so aim for the morning.

Thursday the 3rd stays clean in the morning with a light cross-offshore breeze and a 3 ft ESE swell, but now the period stretches to 11 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, and the energy is still moderate (279). The morning is the call. The afternoon gets chopped up by a 12 mph NNE wind, so forget it.

Friday the 4th has a clean morning with offshore winds, but the swell drops to 2 ft (113 energy). It’s surfable, but small. The afternoon is a no-go with onshore winds.

From Saturday the 5th through to Tuesday the 8th, it’s a long stretch of poor conditions. Mostly small, weak swell (under 3 ft) with cross or onshore winds. The energy drops into the double digits, and it’s just not worth paddling out.

Wednesday the 9th shows a bit of life again. Glassy conditions, both morning and afternoon, with a 4 ft ENE swell, but the period is short at 7 seconds, so it’ll be a bit lumpy. The energy is moderate (212-236). Surfable, but ordinary.

Now, the standout. Thursday the 10th of September. This is the one to circle on the calendar. The morning brings a 6 ft ENE swell, glassy conditions, and a combined energy of 398. That’s good surf. The afternoon is even better. The swell jumps to 8 ft from the ENE, still glassy, and the energy rockets to 1319. That’s a powerful wave. This is very good surf, but at 8 ft, this is for experienced surfers only. Beginners, stay on the beach. The offshore wind from the NW will be keeping it clean.

Friday the 11th has a good morning with 5 ft ENE swell, glassy, and offshore wind (305 energy). That’s another good session for the experienced crew. The afternoon gets messy with onshore wind.

The weekend of the 12th and 13th is a mixed bag. Saturday the 12th has onshore wind and a 4 ft E swell, so it’s poor. Sunday the 13th has a clean morning with a 4 ft E swell and a cross-offshore breeze (331 energy) – good surf. The afternoon sees a 7 ft SSE swell, but the wind is cross-onshore, and the high energy (1304) is a bit wasted. Still, if you’re desperate, it might be worth a paddle.

The final week opens with Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th. Monday morning has a clean 4 ft SE swell (371 energy) with offshore wind. Tuesday morning has a 4 ft SE swell with a 12-second period, clean conditions, and 439 energy. The afternoon on Tuesday is also clean with a 4 ft SE swell and offshore wind (347 energy). Both are solid, clean, and worth a session.

Overall, the best on offer is without a doubt Thursday the 10th of September. The afternoon session with 8 ft, glassy conditions, and 1319 energy is the standout. It’s a big, powerful wave, so it’s an expert-only session. For the intermediate crowd, the mornings of Wednesday the 2nd, Thursday the 10th, and Tuesday the 15th are your best bets for clean, fun waves.

Rusty.

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