Surf Forecasts:
Picao (Baia Formosa) surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 7s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 24 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 7s period, ESE swell with 363 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 7s period with SE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Picao (Baia Formosa) this week:
The surf forecast for Picao (Baia Formosa) over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 1.1m and 7s. Another secondary swell of 0.2m and 10s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Picao (Baia Formosa) in the next 16 days are 1.8m 7s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 9s period and expected on Friday (Aug 21) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (-03) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Mon 24th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Picao (Baia Formosa) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’ve got the outlook for our stretch of coast around Picao (Baia Formosa). Let’s be straight with you – this is a tough run. The 16-day window is pretty much a write-off, with no proper surf on offer. The water temp is sitting at 81°, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing wild there.
We’ve got a long dry spell here. The first record kicks off Thursday morning, 20 August, but don’t get excited. The swell is small, around 4ft to 5ft, coming from the ESE with short periods of 7 to 8 seconds, and the combined swell energy is weak to moderate (184 to 241). The wind is cross-off from the SSE to SE, which keeps the surface clean, but the wave quality is just poor. Every single session through to Friday, 4 September, is marked as poor surf conditions – no standout days, no proper surf. The swell direction (ESE to E) doesn’t match the optimum NE direction for this reef break, so it’s never really lining up. The energy picks up a bit on Wednesday, 26 August, hitting 447 (moderate), but it’s still short period and messy.
Even when the swell height nudges 5ft to 5ft, the period is short, and the wind turns cross or cross-on by the end of the window, making it choppy. This setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, given the strong cross-shore winds and small, weak swell. Picao is a consistent reef, but this forecast is a blank run – it’s just one of those periods where the ocean doesn’t cooperate. Keep an eye on the charts, but I’d give it a miss for now.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Thu morning, min 23°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Warm (max 28°C on Sun morning, min 23°C on Tue night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 6 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ESE 7 | E 7 | ESE 7 | E 7 | ESE 8 | E 7 | ESE 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 139 | 220 | 145 | 136 | 121 | 143 | 135 | 93 | 74 | 80 | 76 | 148 | 205 | 269 | 327 | 181 | 186 | 183 | 256 | 159 | 191 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:26AM1.51m | 9:55PM1.54m | 10:55AM1.43m | 11:25PM1.53m | 12:28PM1.47m | 00:44AM1.61m | 1:29PM1.59m | 1:38AM1.75m | 2:12PM1.73m | 2:19AM1.91m | 2:47PM1.87m | 2:54AM2.07m | 3:20PM2.00m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:35PM0.83m | 4:36AM0.78m | 5:06PM0.87m | 6:06AM0.74m | 6:29PM0.81m | 7:12AM0.64m | 7:26PM0.70m | 7:59AM0.50m | 8:08PM0.57m | 8:37AM0.37m | 8:44PM0.45m | 9:10AM0.26m | 9:17PM0.34m | ||||||||
 | |  | | | | | |  |  | |  |  | | | | | | | | | |
 | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — |
 | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:20 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 25 |
Feels °C | 23 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | NNE 9 | SE 8 | ESE 7 | NE 9 | NE 8 | NE 9 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NNE 8 | E 7 | NNE 8 | NNE 9 | E 7 | NE 10 | NNE 10 | NNE 10 | E 7 | NE 9 | E 8 |
| kJ | 36 | 8 | 18 | 136 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 107 | 7 | 8 | 239 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 183 | 13 | 138 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 10 | N 9 | NNE 9 | NNE 9 | S 13 | S 12 | N 8 | N 8 | S 11 | SE 8 | N 11 | NE 8 | N 11 | N 11 | NE 9 | — | N 10 | S 18 | NNE 9 | NE 18 | NE 9 |
| kJ | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | — | 2 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 12 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SE 12 | S 14 | S 13 | N 9 | — | S 12 | N 9 | — | — | N 11 | NE 10 | — | — | — | — | NE 11 | S 14 | S 16 | SE 17 | NNE 16 |
| kJ | — | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | 3 | 6 | — | — | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 25 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | SSE 9 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 6 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ESE 7 | E 7 | ESE 7 | E 7 | ESE 8 | E 7 | ESE 8 |
| kJ | 139 | 220 | 145 | 202 | 121 | 143 | 135 | 93 | 74 | 80 | 76 | 148 | 205 | 269 | 327 | 181 | 186 | 183 | 256 | 159 | 191 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1002 | 2021 | 1019 | 814 | 2687 | 1002 | 817 | 2152 | 1653 | 979 | 1586 | 979 | 1564 | 1564 | 1040 | 981 | 1613 | 69 | 1564 | 1613 | 1019 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Rio Grande Do Norte | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Brazil | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Picao (Baia Formosa) Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Picao (Baia Formosa) provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Picao (Baia Formosa) can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Picao (Baia Formosa) surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Picao (Baia Formosa)) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Picao (Baia Formosa) may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Picao is 12 km (7 miles) from Canguaretama. If you plan a holiday in Rio Grande Do Norte, look for hotels and other accommodation in Canguaretama. Canguaretama has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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