Meia Praia Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the Algarve stretch. Truth be told, it’s a pretty quiet run for a good while, so don’t be in a hurry.

We’re starting off with a long, flat spell. From Wednesday 19 August all the way through to Monday 31 August, there’s just nothing doing at Meia-Praia. The wave energy is barely a whisper, with combined energy readings hanging around the 20 (weak energy) and mostly sitting at 0 for days on end. The swells that do pop up are tiny – 0.3ft to 1.0ft – and weak. It’s a classic summer lull; the kind where you’re better off getting the kite gear out, or just chilling. The wind is offshore or clean most of these days, but without any proper swell, it’s just a flat, glassy lake. There’s a solid 10-day gap with absolutely nothing worth paddling for.

Now, we do get a flicker of hope as we move into the first week of September. By Wednesday morning 2 September, we see a small pulse of 3ft from the ESE, with a combined energy of 72 (weak energy) and glassy conditions. Still poor surf, really. But then Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning 3 September start to show some promise. On Wednesday afternoon, you get a 4ft SE swell, combined energy reading 126 (moderate energy), and clean, cross-offshore wind. It’s ordinary, but surfable.

The standout, and really the only one worth getting excited about, hits on Thursday morning 3 September. Meia-Praia picks up a 7ft ESE swell, with a combined energy of 857 (strong energy). The wind is light and cross-offshore from the north, so it should be clean. The swell direction is ESE, which isn’t a perfect match for the optimum SSE direction, but it’s close enough to get some decent lines. The period is 8 seconds, so it’s a short-period wind swell, meaning it’ll be a bit crumbly but still fun. But here’s the thing – at 7ft, that’s getting into expert territory, especially for a beach break like Meia-Praia. It’s not for the grommets or the weekend warriors. Crowds are likely here, so get in early.

That’s your window. A long, flat run followed by a single strong pulse right at the very end of the outlook. It’s promising, but it’s a long way off.

Rusty.

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