Carcavelos Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty checking in. Let's have a look at what's on the table for the next 16 days down at Carcavelos (Portugal).

First up, the start of the period is a bit of a slow burner. The wind is mostly a cross-off, which is alright, but the swell is small and the energy is weak. Tuesday morning, the 1st of September, we've got a 4ft swell from the NW with a period of 9 seconds, but the combined energy is only 258 – that's pretty weak. The water's sitting at 68°, which is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual.

Wednesday and Thursday see a bit of a pulse, but again, it's small stuff around 4ft to 5ft from the NNW, with a short period of 7-8 seconds. The energy is still low, just between 140 and 318. It's surfable, but very ordinary. Friday morning, the wind swings offshore from the NE, a gentle breeze, and the swell drops to 2ft from the WNW with a period of 8 seconds. The energy is really low at 68. It's clean, but tiny.

The real standout window doesn't open until the 10th of September. Thursday morning, the 10th, we've got offshore winds from the N at 15 km/h, with a clean 3ft swell from the NW at a solid 10-second period. The combined energy is 330 – that's a moderate amount of push. The conditions are clean, and the score puts it in the "good" category. That's your best bet for a proper session with clean waves. The afternoon of the same day, though, the swell jumps to 7ft from the NW, and the energy goes up to 560. This is where it gets interesting, but it's also getting big for the beginner crew. The wind is still cross-off, but the size is pushing the limits for this spot.

The 11th, 12th, and 13th of September see a solid run of swell, but it's too big for Carcavelos. We're talking 8ft to 8ft from the NNW with energy readings over 900 and even hitting 1010. The wind is offshore in the mornings, but it's a lot of water. The reports say it's too big for this break, so that's for experts only. The 13th of September morning does have a glassy 4ft from the NNW with a 9-second period, but the energy is moderate at 283. That morning might be a quieter window before the bigger stuff.

After that, the 14th to the 16th of September settles back down. We get smaller, cleaner waves in the mornings with offshore winds. The 14th of September morning has a 3ft, 12-second period WNW swell (energy 307) with a light offshore NNE breeze. The 15th and 16th of September mornings are similar – clean, small, but with good energy for the size. The afternoon winds are a problem, though, turning cross-shore and choppy.

So, the pattern is clear. The first week is tiny and ordinary. The standout is the morning of the 10th of September for the best combination of clean conditions and rideable size. The big swell around the 11th-12th is for the brave or the experienced only. The end of the period is back to small, clean morning sessions with a long period groundswell that'll be peeling nicely at a point, but it's small.

Rusty out.

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