Carcavelos Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s see what’s coming up down at Carcavelos. This is a tough stretch, with a lot of messy conditions and poor surf in the near future. The combined swell energy is very low in the first few days, barely hitting 97 (weak) on the 20th, so it’s not looking great to kick things off.

The first real glimmer of hope is Friday morning the 21st. We’ve got a 5ft swell from the NNW, but it’s short period at 7 seconds, so it’ll be a bit lumpy. The wind is cross-offshore though, keeping it clean. The combined energy jumps to 511 (moderate), but it’s still a marginal call, so don’t get too excited. Saturday morning the 22nd is similar, with 5ft from the NNW and light cross winds, but the period is still short, and the energy sits at 478 (moderate). Not a standout by any means.

The rest of that week and into the next is a write-off. From Saturday afternoon the 22nd all the way through Thursday the 27th, it’s poor surf conditions, with onshore and cross-onshore winds messing everything up. There’s a couple of morning windows, but the wind states are all wrong—choppy, cross-chop, onshore junk. The water temp is around 69°F right now, which is about average for the time of year (anomaly of -0.4°F), so nothing unusual there.

Then we hit the big one. Friday morning the 28th is the real standout of this entire 16-day window. A solid 10ft NW groundswell with a long 12-second period rolls in. The combined energy is a massive 2183 (strong to very strong). Wind is cross-offshore from the north at 12 mph, so it’ll be clean. The problem is, this is way too big for beginners—over 8ft, experts only. Carcavelos is an exposed beach break, and this long-period groundswell might make it close out or break a bit too straight, but for those with the skills, it’s the best on offer by a mile. The afternoon drops to 8ft, still huge, with fresh NNW winds, still cross-off.

Saturday the 29th is a drop-off, with 6ft NW at 10 seconds, but it’s marginal, and the wind picks up. After that, it’s a slow fade into the first couple of days of September with clean but small waves—3ft to 5ft—and cross-off winds, but the energy is low (around 200-300, weak to moderate), and the periods are short again.

Late in the window, on Thursday the 3rd of September, we get another pulse: 7ft from the NNW with a short 8-second period and moderate energy of 1040 (strong). Again, too big for beginners, but with clean cross-off winds. The morning of Friday the 4th looks the most user-friendly: 5ft from the NNW at 7 seconds, with light north winds and clean conditions. Combined energy sits at 214 (weak to moderate). It’s a small window, but the only real “good surf” flagged in the whole period.

So, to sum it up: the first week is mostly rubbish. Friday the 28th is the big, expert-only day if you’re brave. The morning of Friday the 4th of September is a small, clean option for the more moderate crowd. Keep an eye on the forecasts—things can change. Stay stoked.

Rusty.

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