Picao (Baia Formosa) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it’s a grim stretch ahead. Right from the start, we’ve got a long gap where there’s just nothing worth paddling out for. The first hint of anything rideable doesn’t show up until Sunday morning, 2 August, and even then it’s only just barely on the radar. That’s a solid few days of flat or junk.

From Wednesday 30 July right through to Saturday 2 August, the swell is tiny—mostly around 1.3 ft to 3 ft—with short period wind swell in the 6 to 9 second range. The winds are cross-offshore, which is fine, but the waves just don’t have any push. The combined wave energy is weak, often sitting below 100 (34 to 85), so you’d be floating around more than surfing. Avoid it.

Finally, on Sunday morning 2 August, we see something at Picao (Baia Formosa). Swell bumps to 4.6 ft from the SE, with a period of just 7 seconds. It’s still short-period, messy stuff, and the combined energy climbs to a more moderate 274. The wind is cross-off from the SSE at 12 mph, so the surface will be clean. This is the best of a bad lot, but it’s only a 1/5 rating spot that’s consistent and not too crowded. It’s a reef break, which is a plus for that short-period SE swell. For intermediate surfers only—beginners should stay out as it’s pushing 5 ft.

That Sunday morning window is the standout, but don’t get your hopes up. The water temp is sitting at about 80.6°, which is bang on average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

After that, it’s back to poor, marginal conditions right through to Thursday 13 August. Swell size sticks between 3.6 ft and 5.2 ft, always short period (6-8 seconds), and while the wind mostly stays cross-off and clean, the wave quality is just poor. There are a few afternoons with a 1/5 rating, like Monday 3 August and Tuesday 4 August, but with chop and cross-shore winds creeping in, it’s not worth the drive.

The second week remains a write-off. The swell direction stays stubbornly E to ESE, never matching the optimum NE direction for Picao. Combined energy flickers up to 371 on 7 August, but it’s still short-period junk with cross-off breezes. Nothing stands out.

Bottom line: if you’re itching for a paddle, Sunday morning 2 August is your only real shot. For the rest, save your energy. No standouts beyond that.

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