Farol da Barra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it.

Honestly, for the next week and a half, we’re looking at a pretty flat and messy stretch here at Farol da Barra. There’s just nothing with any real push or shape to it. We’ve got a lot of small, short-period swell mixing with cross-onshore winds, which is a recipe for chop and frustration. The water’s sitting around 78.9°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick suit.

The first real chance of anything worth getting wet for comes on Thursday the 6th in the morning. We’ve got a glassy surface with 3.6ft of ESE swell, but it’s only an 8-second period, so it’s weak and won’t have any punch. It’s surfable, but you’ll be working for every ride. The energy is weak at 199, so don’t expect any gems.

Friday the 7th morning sees a shift to a light offshore wind, which is a big positive. The swell drops to 2.6ft but it’s clean. Again, it’s short-period stuff, so it’s more about getting a few fun, grovelly waves than anything with power. The energy has dropped to 124, so it’s pretty weak out there.

Saturday the 8th morning is similar – light offshore breeze, 2.6ft of E swell, and clean conditions. It’s a similar story, but the wind will be on it. It’s not going to be a classic, but it’s the best on offer in this first stretch.

After that, we get into a run of poor conditions. The winds go cross-shore or cross-on, and the swell stays small and short-period. This lasts right through to the 14th. The energy levels stay low, and it’s just not worth the paddling. There’s a brief moment on the morning of Friday the 14th when it goes glassy again with 2.6ft, but it’s the same weak stuff.

Now, the second week is where things get interesting, but it’s a long way off, so don't book your flights yet. We’ve got a proper pulse of long-period swell showing for the 16th. The period jumps to 12-14 seconds, and the energy is building. The afternoon of the 16th sees the energy crank up to 488, which is solid. The swell direction is from the ESE, which is a bit off the optimum for this point, but the size is there. The 17th is a write-off with a fresh cross-onshore wind and rain, so that’s out.

Then, the big one. On the 19th, things get serious. The swell is set to build to 6.9ft, but the period drops back to 8 seconds. The energy is huge – over 1000 – which means there's plenty of water moving, but that short period with that size is going to be a messy, powerful close-out. The wind is cross-onshore, so it’s going to be choppy and lumpy. This is a case of the conditions being far better for the kite crew than for us paddle surfers. It’s going to be a beast, and unless you’re a seasoned pro on a big day, you might want to give it a wide berth. It’s a day for the experts only.

So, the standout windows are the mornings of the 7th and 8th, and the 14th, for a clean, small-wave fix. The 16th holds some promise with that longer period, but the 19th is the big, raw and powerful one, though it’s going to be wild.

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