Matosinhos Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at the waves on the line-up for Matosinhos.

Well, right out of the gate, it’s a bit of a slow start. The forecast is pretty flat for the first bit with nothing worth paddling out for. We’ve got a bit of a wait on our hands.

The first real flicker of hope arrives Wednesday morning, August 12th. The ocean decides to give a little. We're looking at a small, clean 3ft swell coming out of the West, with a long period of 9 seconds. The moderate wave energy is there (124) but the real story is the glassy conditions. With a WSW light breeze at just 3 mph, it’ll be smooth as a mirror. It’s surfable, but it’s very ordinary—a gutless little wave that’s more about getting the board wet than getting a barrel.

The window widens slightly Friday morning, August 14th. We get a similar setup: another glassy morning with a WSW wind at 3 mph. The swell bumps up just a hair to 3ft out of the WNW, with a moderate energy reading of (193). The water temperature is sitting at a balmy 70°F, which is a full 4°F warmer than normal for this time of year—a real treat for a morning session.

The most promising, yet still only marginal, moment looks to be Saturday morning, August 15th. The swell pushes up to 5ft from the NW, and the energy jumps to a moderate 221. But that's where the good news ends. The wind is light and cross-onshore, not ideal, and the period is a short 8 seconds. There's more push, but it's not going to be the cleanest.

Honestly, after that, the next two weeks are a write-off. We get a nasty run of strong cross-onshore winds, mostly from the NNW, that just tear the surface apart. It gets lumpy, messy, and generally unpleasant for a paddler. The swell sticks around at waist to chest high but the wind just kills it. The biggest glimpse of size comes Saturday afternoon, August 15th, with a 8ft NW swell and a wave energy of (746), but it's paired with a 22 mph cross-onshore wind. That’s a raw, blown-out mess.

On Thursday morning, August 20th, you might see a bit of something with a 5ft NW swell, but it’s heavy with a cross-shore breeze. The energy is there (346), but the quality isn't. For the whole second week, it's largely a case of wind and chop ruling the roost. If you are desperate for a paddle Thursday morning, August 20th is the only thing that might be worth a check, but don't hold your breath.

The standout, if you can even call it that, is Saturday morning, August 15th for having the most size, but it’s a raw, imperfect wall of water. For the cleaner stuff, hit Wednesday morning, August 12th or Friday morning, August 14th for the glassy windows, even if the waves are small. It’s a tough run for Matosinhos.

Stay stoked, or at least, stay patient.
Rusty

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