Barra da Tijuca Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me tell you what’s cooking. This is the only region I’m lookin’ at today. The next couple of weeks are a mixed bag, got to dig a little to find the windows.

Right off the bat, Tuesday the 18th through Sunday the 23rd is pretty flat and ordinary. We’ve got tiny swell, mostly under 3 feet, and the winds are all over the shop. It’s frustrating – you get a few clean mornings but the energy is just weak, like a meagre 46 to 115 (combined energy). You can paddle out on a foamie if you’re desperate to get wet, but honestly, it’s pretty forgettable. Sunday the 23rd, the swell tries to build, but it’s messy with onshore wind.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Monday the 24th morning, the south swell kicks in properly. Barra da Tijuca is where you want to be. We’ve got a solid 5ft swell out of the S, and the wind is cross-off from the ENE – light too, only 6 mph. That’s going to be clean, good shape. The combined energy is a healthy 605 (moderate energy). This is a standout for the confident intermediate surfer.

But the real gold is Tuesday the 25th morning. You listening? 7ft from the S with a long period of 14 seconds – that’s proper groundswell. The wind is cross-off and light at 6 mph. The combined energy is a massive 1627 (strong wave energy). That is expert territory, no question. That swell is going to have some serious power. It might be a bit too straight and fast for the beach breaks, but at a sandbar setup like Barra, the better surfers are going to be in heaven. Crowds are only *sometimes* a problem, so get in early.

Water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothing freaky there – just get your wettie sorted.

Wednesday the 26th holds in nicely, still 4ft from the S in the morning with offshore wind – clean again, just a bit smaller. Thursday the 27th tails off with a smaller 4ft but still clean in the early. After that, from Friday the 28th onward, it gets smaller and more inconsistent again. The second week of the forecast has a few punchy little days around the 1st of September but nothing that matches that big Monday-Tuesday window.

So, to wrap it: if you want to catch waves this week, you wait. The Monday 24th morning is a great session for most. The real standout is Tuesday 25th morning – that’s the big one, but it’s for experts only. Don't bother much before that unless you love ankle-biters.

Stay frothing.
- Rusty

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