Ponta Negra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cooking for our local stretch.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough run of forecasts for Ponta Negra. We're looking at a solid stretch of poor conditions that basically covers the entire 16-day window. There's no standout, no hidden gem to get excited about. It's a long, flat, and bumpy road ahead.

The first recommendation pops up on Tuesday the 18th of August, but honestly, it's not a recommendation you'd act on. The swell is there, around 5ft from the ESE, but that's where the good news ends. The wind is hammering in from the SE at 16 mph, a messy cross-onshore that's just chopping everything up. The combined wave energy sits at a moderate 262, but the quality is shot. It's a write-off.

This pattern just locks in for days. Every morning and afternoon from the 18th through to the 21st of August is the same story: 4ft to 6ft of short-period, 7-second windswell from the ESE or SE, with that relentless cross-onshore wind. The energy stays moderate, fluctuating between 213 and 313, but it's all ugly, choppy surf. Not worth paddling out for.

We get a slight change on the morning of Saturday the 22nd of August – the wind backs off a touch and goes onshore from the ESE at 12 mph, with a smaller 4ft swell from the E. The energy drops to a weaker 151. Still, the wave comment calls it poor. That "unknown" wind state is a red flag too, likely meaning it's messy. The afternoon eases a bit more with a gentle breeze, but it's still cross-onshore and fairly choppy.

The rest of the month and into September is more of the same. We see a few moments, like the mornings of the 30th and 31st of August, where the wind goes onshore with a bit less sting, but the swell is still weak and short-period at 5ft and 7 seconds. The energy climbs back to the 260-299 range, but the surf quality never improves. It's just not happening.

So what's the takeaway? There isn't a single session in this whole forecast that I'd call good. The constant cross-onshore wind from the SE is the killer. The swell direction from the ESE and E is not what Ponta Negra wants – it needs that NE angle to really line up. Even with a consistent break and an exposed setup, the wind and swell combo is all wrong.

The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, but that's small comfort when you're being blown off your board. This is a long, blank run, and for this area, that's just how it goes sometimes. Forecasts can change, but for now, I'd leave the board in the car and find something else to do.

Rusty.

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