Atalaia (Molhes) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what we've got on the cards for Atalaia over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, it's looking like a bit of a quiet stretch. The surf's generally small and the conditions are a mixed bag, so we're not looking at any world-class days. The water is sitting at 66°F which is pretty much bang on normal for this time of year.

We kick off on Tuesday, August 18th. The morning sees a small, weak 4ft swell from the ENE at 8 seconds, combined wave energy is low (208). It's clean with a light cross-offshore wind, making for surfable but very ordinary waves. By the afternoon, the wind swings cross-shore and it gets a bit more messy.

Wednesday the 19th is the true standout of the first week. The morning has a tiny 3ft ENE swell (146 energy), but it's glassy. Completely dead calm. That offshore wind from the SSE will have the lines clean as a whistle. It's not big, but if you're on a log or a fish, you'll get some fun little runners.

Thursday the 20th is another glassy morning, but the swell drops to a piddly 3ft (82 energy). Still, a little board and some patience will get you a wave.

Friday the 21st sees a bit more life. The morning has a 3ft ENE swell with clean offshore wind from the W, and the afternoon picks up to 3ft (116 energy) with a stronger 15 mph offshore. The waves are small, but they'll be clean and tidy.

Saturday the 22nd starts glassy with a small 2ft SE swell (155 energy), but a longer period of 10 seconds means a little more push. The afternoon turns to chop though.

The next real window comes on Sunday the 23rd. It's another glassy morning – dead calm wind – with a 3ft SE swell and a nice 11-second period (181 energy). Perfect for a longboard or a funboard. By Monday the 24th, the swell period jumps all the way to 14 seconds, and combined energy blows up to 424. We see 3ft to 4ft of long-period groundswell from the SE. This is where it gets interesting, but that long period (14 seconds) at a beach break can make for some straight, walls-like waves. It's not ideal, but the south-east direction is the optimum for Atalaia, so there could be some corners if you pick your spot. The wind is light and cross-shore, so it'll be rideable.

From Tuesday the 25th through the end of the month, it’s a real patchy affair. Small swells, often with poor onshore or cross-shore wind. There are a few clean windows (like the morning of Thursday the 28th with a clean 3ft ENE swell) but nothing that gets the heart racing.

We get another pulse on Sunday, August 30th. Combined energy jumps to 623 with a 4ft swell from the SSE, but the moderate cross-shore winds will chop it up. That's more of a kiter's day than a clean paddle session.

Into the first couple of days of September, it fades again. The morning of Tuesday the 1st is glassy but on a tiny 2ft swell. Wednesday the 2nd has a clean 2ft swell but the energy is practically nothing at 49.

So the honest takeaway? For this 16-day window, your best bet is Wednesday morning the 19th for that glassy, clean vibe on a small swell, or Sunday morning the 23rd for a bit more period and perfect stillness. The long-period swell on Monday the 24th has the most push, but comes with a caveat for the beach break. It's a quiet outlook overall, so don't get your hopes up too high.

Stay sharp,
Rusty

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