Frente A Bahia Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here again. Look, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – the next two weeks at Frente A Bahia are a tough watch for surfers. The pattern is pretty ordinary, with more poor conditions than anything rideable, but there is one tiny window where it all comes together if you’re patient and picky.

We’re looking at a blank start for the first few days. The water here is sitting at 80°F, which is a whopping 7°F warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s a really unusual warming, and you’ll feel it when you’re sitting out there.

Sunday the 16th kicks off with a 4ft SW swell (moderate energy at 631) but the 6 mph cross wind and 14-second period just aren’t enough to save it – the wave comment tells me it’s marginal at best, with questionable tides. Monday looks similar at 3ft SW but with a 9 mph cross-on breeze that kills it. Winds are pretty average all round.

Then comes a real standout, but you’ve got to nail the timing. Tuesday morning the 18th is the best on offer. The wind drops to absolute glass – 0 mph from the NE, completely clean, and the wave comment says “expect good surf conditions.” You’re looking at 3ft SW swell at a long 16-second period, so it’s a proper groundswell with shape, though that long period can make it a bit straight at the beach – better on a reef or point if you can find one. Combined energy is moderate at 462. It’s inconsistent off the bat, so don’t expect a constant supply of sets, but when they come, they’ll be clean. If it’s not crowded, this is your only genuine window.

From Tuesday afternoon onward it’s a right-off for days. Wednesday the 19th through to the following Monday the 25th is a long, dry gap – mostly 1ft to 3ft SW swell with persistent cross-on or onshore winds, mostly 12 mph from the west or WSW. The energy drops off a cliff, getting as low as 104 by the 26th. The wave comments are almost all “poor surf conditions” or “marginal surf forecast” – I wouldn’t bother paddling out unless you’re desperate just to be in the water.

There’s a little flicker of something on Friday the 28th morning – 2ft SW, 15-second period, and a light 6 mph cross wind, but the wave comment still says marginal (tide issues). The energy picks back up to a moderate 433, but that’s about it. It’s not a standout.

The second week of the forecast (from the 25th onward) is more of the same: small swell, bad winds, and poor quality surf. There’s nothing here to get excited about. If you were hoping for a big run of waves, this isn’t it – but the region is inconsistent, so a blank stretch like this isn’t unusual. The one standout is glassy Tuesday morning the 18th – that’s your window. Paddle out early and make it count.

Rusty.

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