Lagoa de Albufeira Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let's take a look around Lagoa de Albufeira. Honestly, mate, the next couple of weeks are looking pretty average for this spot. The water temp's at about 71°F – pretty much spot on for this time of year, not too weird.

We've got a long stretch of poor conditions kicking things off. Tuesday and Wednesday mornings have some cross-shore wind around 12 mph and tiny, gutless swell. The afternoons get worse with a fresh breeze onshore and lumpy junk. That theme runs right through the whole first week. There's barely a window worth paddling for. By Thursday morning the wind eases a little, but the swell's all over the place with weak energy and a short period – just a messy, wobbly sea.

It's not until the morning of Saturday the 12th that we get a faint glimmer. The wind goes light cross-off from the NE, 3 mph, and it's clean. The swell is only 2 ft from the NW with a period of 8 seconds, and the energy is barely moderate. You might get a couple of knee-high rollers, but it's very ordinary.

Then there's a real tease on Sunday the 13th. The morning brings a clean cross-off breeze from the SE, 3 mph, and the swell climbs to 3 ft from the NW with a long period of 13 seconds. The energy jumps up, and it's actually looking like good surf conditions. That longer period is a solid groundswell, and at Lagoa de Albufeira – a very consistent, exposed beach/reef setup – it should round up nicely when it hits the sandbanks. The optimum swell direction for this spot is WSW, so that WNW swell is close enough to be a real bonus. With crowds listed as "sometimes," you'll likely have a few locals in the water but not a madhouse. For a short window Sunday morning is the best on offer across this entire run. But by afternoon the wind swings onshore WSW at 9 mph and turns it to crap.

After that, the outlook flatlines for a long stretch. Monday the 14th has a glassy morning – 3 ft, period of 11 seconds – but it's barely surfable, with weak energy. Tuesday the 15th is even smaller, and by Wednesday we're back to cross-onshore winds and lumpy bumps. There are several days of nothing: Tuesday 16th, Wednesday 17th, Thursday 18th, Friday 19th – all poor, with wind either cross-on or onshore, and swell maxing out around 3 ft. It's just not worth the paddle.

There is another brief opportunity on the morning of Sunday the 20th. The wind turns offshore from the E at 3 mph, clean, with 3 ft from the NW at 10 seconds. Again, it's small and ordinary, but at least the surface is smooth.

Then on Wednesday the 23rd, in the morning, we get one more mention of a longer-period swell (13 seconds) from the NW at 2 ft, with a bit more energy, but the wind is a light cross-onshore from the SW at 3 mph. It's marginal, described as "questionable tide conditions." Not a standout but worth noting if you're desperate.

If I had to tell you a single morning to aim for, it's Sunday 13th September, early. That's the only true standout. The rest is flat, lumpy, or both. Setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on most days here, honestly.

Rusty.

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