Carcavelos Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break this down. The forecast kicks off on Friday, 28th August, but don't get too stoked just yet. The first few days are basically a no-go for a proper paddle session because of how much water is moving. We’ve got a solid WNW groundswell rolling in, pushing 8ft with a period of 11 seconds. That’s a lot of juice, especially for a beginner-friendly beach like Carcavelos. The combined wave energy is strong at 1279. It’s glassy in the morning, which looks beautiful, but that swell is just too big for this spot. It’ll be a washing machine, probably more for the kite crew than the longboarders. The NW wind picks up in the afternoon to 12 mph, putting a cross-chop on it, still too big.

Saturday the 29th drops a bit to 6ft in the morning, but the period shortens to 9 seconds, and the energy drops to 517. The wind is a cross-offshore from the N at 12 mph. It’s clean, but the quality just isn’t there. The score is low. By the afternoon it's down to 5ft, and it’s still not doing it for me.

Sunday the 30th through to Thursday the 3rd of September is a pretty barren stretch. The swell hangs around the 3ft to 6ft mark, but everything is flagged as poor or marginal. The wind stays cross-offshore and gets fresh at times, but the wave shape and energy are all wrong. It’s not going to be the day you remember.

Now, keep your eyes on Thursday morning, 3rd September. That’s a little glimmer. The swell drops to 4ft from the NNW with a short period of 7 seconds, but the wind turns light offshore from the NE at 6 mph. It’s clean, and the forecast says “expect good surf conditions.” It’s small and weak energy (214), but for a beginner, this could be a fun, manageable window if you’re out early.

Friday the 4th is a funny one. Tiny 1ft swell but a very long period of 16 seconds from the NW. That’s a deepwater groundswell pulse, but it’s barely got any height. The energy is only 160. Glassy conditions in the morning, but it’s more of a knee-high ripple.

The real standout, the one I’d circle on the calendar, is Sunday the 6th of September. This is the pick of the entire forecast. Sunday morning you’ve got 4ft of NW groundswell with a solid 12-second period. The energy is strong at 529. But the magic is in the wind: dead calm, glassy, zero wind. Combined with the “very good surf conditions” call, this is the session. For Carcavelos, this is clean, lined-up, and well within the comfort zone. Just be prepared for crowds, because this break is often busy, and when it’s like this, everyone will be out.

The week after that settles into smaller, cleaner but less exciting surf. Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th of September both have small 4ft to 4ft NW swells with glassy mornings and light offshore winds. Good for a cruise, but not the big standout. The energy is moderate (around 260). Good for a longboard or a funboard.

From Wednesday the 9th onward, it fades away. By the 10th, the swell drops to 1ft, and the wind cranks up to 19 mph from the NNW. It’s a no-go. The 11th and 12th are messy with strong winds and tiny, weak swell.

So, bottom line: the first few days are too big and messy for Carcavelos. The second week starts with a small but fun offshore window on Thursday the 3rd. But the true standout, the one to plan for, is Sunday morning, 6th September. Glassy, solid waist-to-chest high NW swell, long period, and clean. That’s your session.

Rusty.

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