Barrinha Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what the next couple of weeks hold for us.

The Overall Picture

Straight up, this is a tough stretch for Barrinha. We’ve got a few days of junk to start, then a touch of cleaner surf on the weekend, but the real meat of the swell is a long way off. The middle of the forecast period is pretty gutless, but the light at the end of the tunnel is a big, powerful pulse of south swell that’s looking like it might be too much of a good thing. We’re talking about a proper wait here, but there could be a payoff.

The Grind Begins

We’re starting Friday the 11th with small, weak energy. There’s about 2ft of south swell but the wind is on it and it’s choppy. The water is 62°, which is a solid 4° colder than normal for this time of year, so you’re going to want the thick suit. Saturday the 12th brings a little more size, up to 6ft, but the wind is still messy. It’s cross-off but the period is only 8 seconds, which makes for a bit of a junky, weak wave. This isn’t worth paddling out for.

A Glimmer of Hope

Sunday the 13th is where it starts to look a bit more interesting. The swell is still around 5ft, but the wind finally goes light and offshore from the SW. The period drops to 7-8 seconds, which is short, but a clean 5ft wave on a beach break is still fun. The combined energy is moderate at 514. It’s worth a look.

The Dead Zone

The rest of that week is mostly poor. Monday the 14th is onshore junk, Tuesday the 15th is tiny and gutless until the afternoon, and the rest of the week just fades. We’re going to hit a real lull here. There’s a few days from the 19th to the 21st where the surf is down to 1ft and the energy is basically non-existent, under 100. It’s not going to be worth the walk.

The Big Swell Arrives

Hold on to your boards, because the 22nd of September starts to pick up with a 7ft south swell and moderate cross-off winds, but it’s still poor. However, the morning of Wednesday the 23rd is when the ocean gets angry. We’re looking at a massive 10ft south swell pouring in with 10-second period and clean, cross-off winds. The energy reading is a massive 1690, which is just loaded. This is a lot of water moving around. This is too big for anyone but the most experienced surfers; it’ll hold a ton of power and likely be a washing machine. The swell eases to 8ft by the afternoon and the wind picks up a bit, so it’s still on the serious side. Thursday the 24th still has solid 6ft - 7ft waves with clean cross-off winds and a longer 11-second period, which will make it a bit more lined up, but this is still a big, powerful swell for this spot.

The Verdict

If you’re a beginner or an intermediate, give the 23rd a miss entirely. It’s too dangerous. For the experts, the swell on the 23rd might be a beast, but the bigger picture is that it’s massive. For everyone else, that Sunday morning on the 13th is the best clean, manageable wave on offer. This first week is looking pretty grim, but the signs of life appear on the horizon.

Alright, that’s how I see it. Keep your eyes on the forecast.

- Rusty

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