Luz Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll level with you – this stretch of coast is going through a real quiet patch. The first week and a half is basically a write-off. From the 17th of August right through to the morning of the 28th of August, there’s barely a ripple worth paddling for. It’s a long, flat gap with no real surf to speak of. We’re talking tiny little slop that never cracks a proper wave face, and the wind is all over the shop. It’s a frustrating run of nothing.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on the morning of Friday the 28th of August at Luz (Portugal). This is the standout of the whole 16-day window, and it’s a bit of a late bloomer. For the first time, we see a pulse of energy. The combined swell energy hits 393 (moderate energy), with a 5 ft swell rolling in from the ESE. The period is a short 8 seconds, so it’s a windswell, not a groundswell, but the conditions are the real story here. The wind is glassy, absolutely flat calm. That means the surface will be clean as a whistle. The water temp is sitting at 67°F, which is 5°F colder than usual for this time of year – that’s a notable chill, so don’t forget a decent spring suit. Luz is a point break, so it handles that direction alright, and because it’s inconsistent, it’s not like it’s going to be packed. For a Friday morning session, you could do a lot worse. That 5 ft is a bit much for beginners, but intermediate surfers will be stoked.

The afternoon of the 28th gets a bit cross-off shore with a WNW breeze, so the quality drops, but it’s still surfable for the keen.

Moving into the 29th of August, Saturday morning offers another 5 ft from the ESE, but the wind is a moderate offshore from the NNW. It’s clean, but the combined energy is down to 230, and the period is still short at 8 seconds. It’s surfable but ordinary, nothing special. The afternoon gets a fresh 35 km/h offshore from the NW, which is a bit too strong to be ideal, and the wave quality suffers. By the 30th of August, Sunday morning, we’re down to 3 ft from the E, with a gentle offshore breeze. It’s rideable, but the energy is only 137 – weak. After that, it fades away again to flatness and tiny dribble right through to the 1st of September.

So, bottom line: the only true stand-out is the Friday morning, 28th of August, at Luz. That’s your window. Mark it in your calendar. The rest of the run is a whole lot of nothing with a couple of ordinary, forgettable sessions tacked on. Stay patient.

Rusty.

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