Figueira da Foz - Buarcos Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the Buarcos zone over the next couple of weeks.

Alright, straight up – this is a slow start. A real slow start. The first few days are a write-off, honestly. We’ve got clean conditions but hardly any push. The swell is tiny and weak, with combined energy barely getting past 187 (187) on the 3rd, and it just drops off from there. The water’s sitting at 69°, which is bang on average for this time of year – nothing weird there.

There’s a bit of a gap here with nothing really surfable until the 6th of August. Thursday morning looks like a marginal call – a bit of a bump from the NNW at 4ft but with a short, weak period of 6 seconds. The energy is moderate (264), but it’s not gonna be pretty. The wind is cross-off, so it’ll be clean, but the waves are just too short and wonky. This is a tough one to call for a paddle.

Now, Friday the 7th of August – that’s the standout. The morning session is the pick of the whole forecast. You’ve got a clean 5ft swell from the NNW, with a period of 8 seconds. The wind is a gentle cross-off breeze, so the faces will be smooth. The combined energy is solid at 269 (269). This is a good, solid point break wave for the advanced crew. It’s a bit punchy, so not for the groms, but for the experienced surfer, this is the window. The break is inconsistent, so you’ll be waiting for the sets, but when they come, they’ll be worth it. Crowds are sometimes a thing here, so don’t expect to be alone if it’s clean.

Saturday morning the 8th is a bit of a letdown – the swell drops right back to 3ft with weak energy (82). It’s surfable, but very ordinary. Then we have another long, flat spell. From the 9th through the 11th, it’s a whole lot of nothing. Tiny waves, weak energy, all under 100 (56, 71, 33). It’s clean, but it’s lake-like.

We get a tiny flicker of life on Tuesday the 11th morning with a 4ft swell from the NNW, but it’s short period (6 seconds) and messy. Energy is moderate (156), but it’s just nothing to write home about.

The next real chance comes on Wednesday the 12th of August. The morning session has a 2ft swell from the WNW, but with a period of 9 seconds and a combined energy of 201 (201). The wind is a gentle cross-off, so it’s glassy. The waves will be small, clean, and lined up. It’s a good, mellow morning for a longboard or a fish.

From the 13th onward, it’s a mixed bag. The 14th of August Friday morning has a glassy, 3ft WNW swell with energy at 106 (106). It’s tiny but clean. That’s about as good as it gets until the following week.

Then, look out for the 15th and 16th of August. The swell picks up significantly – 7ft and 7ft from the NNW, with strong energy readings of 511 (511) and 465 (465). But the wind is cross-on and choppy, and the period is short (7-8 seconds). This is going to be a big, messy, onshore mess. The wave quality is poor. For a beach/point setup like this, that kind of wind and size is honestly more interesting for the kiteboarders than us paddle surfers.

The 17th and 18th are still sizey (6ft, 5ft, 4ft) but the wind is still cross or cross-off, and the period remains short. The energy is there (437, 328, 195), but the quality just isn’t. It’s a “check the cam” situation, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up.

So, bottom line: Friday the 7th of August morning is your best bet. A solid 5ft, clean, cross-off NNW swell. The other highlight is the small but clean Wednesday the 12th morning. The rest is either flat, or too messy. Stay patient.

Rusty.

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