Carcavelos Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright mates, Rusty here. Let's break down what's on the menu for the next couple of weeks.

We're starting off pretty slow. The first few days are a bit of a snooze, but things start to build as we go. The pattern is a quiet start, a little pulse mid-period, and then a huge ramp-up in size towards the end of the second week.

Right now, Monday the 27th is a dud with a tiny 0.7m NW swell and messy cross-shore wind at Carcavelos. Tuesday morning the 28th is our first real window. The swell is from the NNW at 1.3m with a 10-second period. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the NNW, so the surf will be clean. The combined energy is moderate at 356. It's a beginner-friendly size, and with clean conditions, this is a solid call for a morning paddle. The water temp is 21°C, which is about normal for this time of year.

Wednesday morning the 29th is similar, with a smaller 0.9m NW swell but still clean with a light cross-offshore breeze. The energy is weaker at 164. It's surfable, but nothing special. Thursday and Friday are pretty flat with very small, weak swells and stronger winds.

Then we get to the weekend. Saturday morning, August 1st, is a bit of a tease. You've got a 1.2m NNW swell, but it's a short-period 6-second windswell, making it weak and bouncy. The energy is 220, so it's moderate, but that short period makes it feel a bit messy. It's a marginal call.

The real story starts from Thursday, August 6th. The swell really starts to pump. But here's the thing for Carcavelos: it gets too big. Thursday afternoon sees a 2.3m NNW swell with a short 7-second period, and the energy is getting strong at 582. The wind is cross-offshore, but that size is pushing it for a beginner spot. By Friday, August 7th, we're looking at a 3.0m NNW swell, and the energy is very strong at 1401. This is expert territory, and the break is predicted to be too big for its usual setup. The wind is still cross-offshore, so the wave faces will be clean, but it's a serious, heavy wave.

The pattern continues through the weekend and into the next week. August 8th still has a hefty 2.4m NNW swell, and the wind shifts to a light cross-onshore, which isn't ideal. The size is still well over 2.5m, so it's only for the experienced crew. Then on August 10th and 11th, things get even more serious. Monday the 10th has a 2.5m to 3.0m NNW swell, and Tuesday the 11th is holding at 3.0m, with periods of 9-10 seconds. The combined energy on Tuesday morning hits a massive 1823, which is very strong. The wind is a strong offshore, so the conditions will be clean, but the sheer power and size will be intimidating. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing for most.

So, the standout session is Tuesday morning, July 28th. It's the best balance of clean, cross-offshore wind, a manageable 1.3m swell, and decent energy. It's a proper, clean, fun-sized wave. The big swell at the end is a spectacle, but it's only for the experts.

Rusty.

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