
Surf Forecasts:
Castelejo surf forecast from 14 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 21 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 6s period, NW swell with 98 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Castelejo this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Castelejo in the next 16 days are 1.2m 6s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 6s period and expected on Monday (Jul 20) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (WEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Castelejo over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. Looking at the 16-day window for Castelejo, I gotta be honest with you: it’s a tough run. There’s no standout surf on offer here, and the whole period is pretty much a write-off for good paddle surfing. We’re looking at a solid gap of nothing but poor surf conditions from the start all the way through.
The first day we’ve got anything at all, July 14th, is a no-go. Tuesday morning has a tiny 2ft NW swell with a short period of 8 seconds, and the wind is onshore from the NNW. The water temp is sitting at 69°, which is about average for the time of year – nothing weird there. But the energy is weak (84), and it’s just poor surf. That’s the story for the next week and a half: small, weak swells under a constant barrage of onshore and cross-onshore winds. We’re talking 1ft to 4ft waves, mostly from the NW, with periods staying under 9 seconds. The wind is a fresh breeze from the NNW or NW most days, making it choppy and lumpy. Not a single session cracks a score above zero. For a break that’s usually very consistent, this is a dry spell, but it happens.
The middle of the second week, around July 22nd, the swell energy starts to pick up a bit, hitting a moderate 224 (combined energy), but the wave height is only 4ft and the wind is still fresh and onshore. It’s still poor. There’s a glimmer on July 24th, when a longer-period 12-second swell from the WNW shows up, with a combined energy of 392. But again, the wind is a fresh cross-onshore, making it lumpy. The size is only 3ft, so it’s not doing much.
Now, the biggest swell of the whole period hits on July 25th and 26th. July 25th morning has a solid 7ft NW swell with an 11-second period, pushing the combined energy to a strong 981. That’s a proper groundswell. But—and it’s a big but—the wind is still screaming cross-onshore from the NNW at 22 mph. The same story on the 26th. Castelejo is a beach and reef setup, so with that much wind and that size, it’s going to be a mess. Honestly, on those days, with the fresh cross-onshore and lumpy conditions, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The water is too blown out for a clean wave. The swell is over 5ft, so it’s too big for beginners, and the choppy conditions make it only for the most experienced, and even then, it’s not good.
The forecast isn’t promising at all. With no consistent windows of clean conditions, this is a normal blank run for the area. The forecasts can change, but right now, I’d save the petrol. There’s nothing here worth paddling out for.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Wed morning, min 19°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Fri morning, min 18°C on Fri night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 8 | NW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | NNW 5 | NW 5 | NW 5 | NW 5 | NW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 6 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
55 | 37 | 35 | 28 | 26 | 30 | 28 | 46 | 26 | 13 | 13 | 83 | 23 | 26 | 55 | 46 | 57 | 65 | 54 | 54 | 83 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 3:10PM3.06m | 3:41AM2.82m | 3:58PM3.15m | 4:28AM2.82m | 4:45PM3.16m | 5:14AM2.76m | 5:30PM3.08m | 5:59AM2.65m | 6:16PM2.92m | 6:44AM2.52m | 7:01PM2.70m | 7:31AM2.37m | 7:49PM2.46m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:29PM-0.01m | 9:40AM0.13m | 10:17PM-0.06m | 10:26AM0.11m | 11:04PM-0.02m | 11:10AM0.17m | 11:49PM0.09m | 11:54AM0.28m | 00:33AM0.26m | 12:39PM0.44m | 1:17AM0.45m | 1:27PM0.63m | 2:03AM0.65m | ||||||||
6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | |
— | 8:55 | — | — | 8:54 | — | — | 8:54 | — | — | 8:53 | — | — | 8:53 | — | — | 8:52 | — | — | 8:52 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 18 |
Feels °C | 21 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 8 | NW 7 | WNW 7 | NW 7 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | NW 8 | WNW 8 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | WNW 12 |
55 | 37 | 35 | 22 | 26 | 30 | 28 | 46 | 25 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 14 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | NNW 7 | N 7 | NW 6 | S 11 | — | W 6 | WSW 6 | W 6 | — | S 19 | W 11 | NW 8 | W 9 | NNW 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | NNW 8 |
24 | 23 | 33 | 28 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 2 | — | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | 7 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 7 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | SW 14 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | S 11 | S 13 | — | NW 5 | — | — | — | — | — | W 10 | NW 10 | NW 8 | W 13 | SE 7 | ESE 6 |
5 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 3 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | NW 6 | NW 4 | NW 4 | NW 3 | NNW 4 | NNW 4 | NNW 4 | NNW 5 | NW 5 | NW 5 | NW 5 | NW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 6 |
— | — | — | — | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 26 | 9 | 8 | 83 | 23 | 26 | 55 | 46 | 57 | 65 | 54 | 54 | 83 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 9 | 381 | 9 | 95 | 690 | 77 | 181 | 892 | 317 | 701 | 227 | 458 | 373 | 737 | 79 | 179 | 653 | 121 | 181 | 653 | 92 |
Best forecast wave conditions in The Algarve | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Portugal | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Castelejo Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Castelejo provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Castelejo can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Castelejo surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Castelejo) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Castelejo may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Castelejo is 25 km (16 miles) from Lagos. If you plan a holiday in The Algarve, look for hotels and other accommodation in Lagos. Lagos has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










