Barra Velha Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – this 16-day stretch for Barra Velha is a bit of a mixed bag. There’s some decent size and good conditions on the horizon, but you’ll need to pick your moments. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing to write home about.

We kick off Monday the 17th of August with the best conditions of the first week. The morning has some clouds and a glassy north-northeast breeze at 3 mph, with 5ft of east swell running at 8 seconds. It’s not a huge groundswell, but the combined energy is moderate (272) and the conditions are glassy, so it’ll be clean and fun for a beginner-plus spot. That Monday morning is your standout for the first few days – get it while it’s good.

After that, Tuesday the 18th drops to 4ft east swell with glassy conditions in the morning, but it’s ordinary and the combined energy is weak-to-moderate (193). Wednesday the 19th is a write-off with poor surf and onshore wind. Thursday the 20th has tiny 2ft east-northeast swell, glassy in the morning but not worth a paddle. Friday the 21st has a clean cross-off breeze, but the swell is only around 3ft and ordinary. Saturday the 22nd has a 3ft swell with morning offshore wind, but it’s weak (89). There’s a gap of several days with no real recommendations here.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Sunday the 23rd of August has a glassy morning at 3ft southeast swell, but the afternoon is something else – still glassy, with the swell jumping to a 12-second period and combined energy of 243. Expect good surf conditions that afternoon as that longer-period groundswell fills in. It’s a promising change.

Then, Monday the 24th of August brings a significant jump in size. The morning has 7ft of south-southeast swell with a 12-second period, and the combined energy is very strong (1680). This is big for the spot, over 5ft so it’s pushing it for beginners, and the cross-shore breeze is light but not perfect. The swell direction is close to the optimum east, and period over 11 seconds means it’ll have shape and power, but at a beach-and-point setup like Barra Velha, that long period can make it a bit straight. Still, wave energy is huge – this is the standout of the whole outlook if you’re a competent surfer. The afternoon drops off to 4ft with a cross-onshore breeze.

After that, it tapers off. Tuesday the 25th has tiny 2ft southeast swell, glassy both sessions. Wednesday the 26th through Friday the 28th stays very small, with combined energy well below 100, mostly glassy mornings but not much to work with.

By Sunday the 30th of August, it picks up again. Morning has 3ft southeast swell at 10 seconds with a glassy breeze and combined energy of 404 (moderate-to-strong) – expect good surf conditions. The afternoon is similar, with calm winds. Monday the 31st has clean conditions through the day, with 3ft southeast swell and glassy or cross-off breeze, combined energy around 200-240. That Sunday and Monday look like a solid little run of clean, fun waves for the end of the outlook.

Overall, the standout is Monday the 24th of August morning for the sheer size and power – it’s a real swell event, but it’s for experienced crew. For clean, glassy sessions that everyone can enjoy, hit Monday the 17th morning or Sunday the 30th and Monday the 31st.

Rusty.

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