Figueira da Foz - Buarcos Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s on the cards for our little corner of the coast.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next several days are going to be a write-off. We’re looking at a long, frustrating gap with nothing worth paddling out for. From now right through the end of August, it’s mostly poor surf conditions. The wind is a mess, mostly cross-onshore or onshore, and the swell is either weak, short-period, or both. Don’t bother checking the buoys, just trust me – it’s bleak.

The first proper glimmer of hope shows up on Friday, the 28th of August. We finally see a shift. The wind goes cross-offshore from the NNW and a clean groundswell moves in. At Figueira da Foz - Buarcos, we’re looking at swell around 8 ft from the WNW with a period of 11 seconds. The wave energy climbs into the moderate range (1675). It’s not perfect, and the forecast is marginal because of tide issues, but it’s been so flat and messy that this feels like a win. The water is sitting around 66°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year – so you’ll want the thicker rubber.

That cleaner trend continues into Friday afternoon and through the weekend, but the swell drops off quick. By Saturday and Sunday, we’re back down to small, weak, knee-high slop. Not worth the drive unless you’re desperate.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. If you can hold out, the real standout is Monday, the 7th of September. This is the one circled on the calendar. Early that morning at Buarcos, it’s going absolutely off. Glassy conditions – dead calm, light air from the SSE – and a massive, very long-period groundswell from the WNW. We’re talking 12 ft of swell with a period of 17 seconds. That’s proper deep ocean energy. The combined energy reading is 6846 – very strong stuff. But look, at a point break like Buarcos, that long period can actually make it a bit tricky – the sets are widely spaced and powerful. This is strictly for experts only. If you’re not confident in big, raw surf, sit this one out. The morning window is exceptional for those who can handle it. The afternoon picks up a cross-on breeze and gets a bit choppier, so the early session is the one.

The days leading up to it – the 5th and 6th of September – are worth watching too. Saturday the 5th brings a solid 6 ft WNW groundswell with a period of 13 seconds (1627 energy), and Sunday the 6th morning has clean 7 ft NW swell (1160 energy) with a light breeze. Both are marginal but still way better than that early dry spell. But no doubt about it, the crown jewel is that Monday morning.

So to wrap it up: a long, painful flat spell now, a brief clean-up on the 28th that fades fast, then building energy into the first week of September, peaking with a big, expert-only day on the 7th. Keep an eye on it – the long-range stuff can change, but this one has some serious promise.

Rusty.

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