Barrinha Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s see what we’ve got here.

We’re looking at one spot, Barrinha, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag for the next couple of weeks. There’s a real gap at the start – nothing much happening Thursday morning or afternoon, so you’re not missing out. The first real chance of a wave doesn’t arrive until Friday the 21st, and that’s where things start to get interesting.

Friday morning is where it kicks off. We’ve got a clean 4ft swell pushing in from the SSW, period is short at 7 seconds, so it’ll be a bit choppy and soft, but with a light offshore breeze from the SW, it’ll be rideable. The combined energy is moderate (269). The water temp is sitting at 67°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Saturday the 22nd is a step up in size – swell hits 8ft from the S, period 9 seconds, and the energy jumps right up to strong (1999). But it’s a cross-off wind, so while it’s clean, that size is going to be pushing it for most intermediates. This is more of a big-wave session for the experienced crew.

Sunday the 23rd is the standout in the first week. Morning session has a solid 6ft SSW swell, period 11 seconds, combined energy of 755 (moderate), and a light cross-off breeze from the SSW. That’s clean, punchy, and should offer some decent shape. The swell direction is coming from the south, which is close to the optimum SE direction for Barrinha, so it’ll be working well. This is the pick of the first week.

Monday the 24th is a beast – 10ft swell from the S, with a very long period of 16 seconds, and energy is massive at 5267. That’s a serious groundswell, but it’s too big for this break. The notes say it’s predicted to be too big, so unless you’re a tow-in specialist, give it a miss. The long period will also make it close out on the beach, so it’s not ideal for paddle surfing.

After that, the week from the 25th onwards looks poor. Cross-on winds, choppy conditions, and dropping swell sizes. The 27th and 28th are particularly windy with fresh cross-on breezes up to 19 mph, and the swell is small and weak. It’s a real low point.

Then we hit a second gap – from the 29th of August through to the 31st, there’s very little surf. Swell sizes drop to 1ft or less, and the energy is negligible. It’s a quiet period.

Now, come the 1st of September, things start to pick up again. Tuesday morning has a 5ft SSW swell, period 7 seconds, light offshore wind, and clean conditions. Energy is moderate (345). It’s not huge, but it’s surfable and clean.

The real standout of the entire forecast is Thursday the 3rd of September. Morning session delivers an 8ft SSW swell, period 10 seconds, combined energy of 1936 (strong), and a clean offshore wind from the SW. That’s excellent for experienced surfers – powerful, clean, and well-shaped. The swell direction is SSW, which is close to the optimum SE, so it’ll be working nicely. If you’re an advanced surfer, that’s the session to target.

Friday the 4th also looks good – 8ft swell from the S, period 12 seconds, energy 1738, and near-calm winds. That’s another excellent session for the experienced crew.

So, overall, the best bets are Sunday the 23rd for a solid, clean intermediate session, and Thursday the 3rd of September for the big, clean, powerful swell that the experienced surfers will love. The rest of the period is either too small, too windy, or too big for this break.

Rusty.

Read more