Barra da Tijuca Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s break down the outlook for Barra da Tijuca.

The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a slow start with some ordinary conditions, but there’s a nice little run of cleaner, smaller waves in the first week, and then a punchier, more powerful swell arrives in the second week that could be the real standout for the experienced crew.

The water temp is sitting at about 72°, which is pretty average for this time of year, so no major surprises there.

The first decent look comes on Monday, July 14th, with a small 5-foot S swell on Tuesday morning, but the wind is messy and cross. It’s not really calling my name. By Wednesday morning, July 15th, things clean up nicely with a 5-foot SSE groundswell (11 seconds) and light cross-offshore winds from the NE. The combined energy is moderate at 498, and it’s clean. That’s a solid window for a beginner-friendly session, but nothing to write home about.

Thursday morning, July 16th, is another good one: 4-foot SE swell, light offshore N wind, and clean conditions. Wave energy is still moderate (415). Good for a longboard or a funboard.

The standout of the first week is probably Friday, July 17th. The swell drops to 3 feet, but it’s a clean 11-second SE groundswell, with a gentle offshore N wind in the morning. The energy is light (210), but it’s glassy and clean. For a mellow, uncrowded session, that’s a winner.

After that, we hit a long flat spell. From Saturday, July 18th, right through to Monday, July 21st, the swell drops to 2 to 2 feet. It’s surfable but very ordinary. The wind is often offshore, so the surface is clean, but there’s just no power. The energy drops to as low as 50 (weak). That’s a solid 3-4 days of barely rideable waves.

We get a little spike on Tuesday, July 21st, with a 2-foot S swell, but the period jumps to 13 seconds, pushing energy up to 206. It’s clean with offshore winds, but it’s tiny. Still, a long-period groundswell like that can wrap in better on the banks, so keep an eye on it.

Then the real deal arrives. On Wednesday, July 22nd, things get messy with a strong cross-onshore wind and a 6-foot S swell (8-second period) that’s just choppy and poor. But hold on to your board – Thursday, July 23rd, is the big one. A 6-foot S groundswell with a 13-second period, combined with a light cross-offshore NE wind, gives us excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers. The energy is a massive 1185 (strong to very strong). That’s a proper swell. It’s a bit big for beginners, but for anyone with some skill, that’s the session to aim for. The wind holds clean on Friday morning, July 24th, as well, with a 4-foot S swell and offshore N wind – very good conditions.

Saturday, July 25th, gets ruined by onshore rain, so skip that. But Sunday, July 26th, brings a new 6-foot E swell (8-second period) with clean cross-offshore winds in the morning. Energy is 734 (strong). That’s another good option, though the short period will make it a bit more crumbly.

The final days of the window look promising too. Monday afternoon, July 27th, and Tuesday afternoon, July 28th, both show 5-foot E swell with clean winds and offshore breezes. Energy is moderate to strong (500+). The Tuesday morning is even glassy, with flat calm wind.

So, the best on offer is Thursday, July 23rd – that’s the standout. Big, clean, powerful groundswell for the experienced crew. The runners-up are Friday, July 17th for a clean small wave session, and Monday afternoon, July 27th for another solid, clean E swell.

Rusty.

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