Ponta Negra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

We’re starting off on Tuesday, 21 July, and honestly, mate, it’s a rough one to kick things off. The wind is just not playing nice – a solid 12 to 15 mph cross-on from the southeast, turning the waves into a choppy mess. The swell is up around 6 ft to 7 ft, coming from the ESE with a period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy is up there (485 to 619), but with these conditions, it’s a frustrated paddle-out, not a fun one. We’re looking at “poor surf conditions” all through Tuesday and Wednesday, and this pattern of cross-on wind and rain showers just keeps on rolling.

The wind does ease a little around Thursday, 23 July, dropping to a gentle breeze of 9 mph, but it’s still cross-on, so the waves stay fairly choppy. Swell hangs around 5 ft to 5 ft from the ESE, with a period of 8 seconds and energy in the 300 range. It’s still not good. This tired, sloppy funk continues right through the first week. Friday, 24 July, does see a brief moment of onshore wind in the afternoon, but the swell drops to 3 ft, and the energy fades to 178 – still marked as “poor surf conditions.”

We slide into the second week with no real change. Saturday, 25 July, to Tuesday, 28 July, the swell is small, between 3 ft and 4 ft, period dropping to 7 seconds, and the wind is relentless from the southeast. Energy is low, between 124 and 193. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there, but the surf is a total write-off.

Then, around Wednesday, 29 July, things get weird. The swell just disappears. We’re looking at 1 ft to 2 ft, from the NNE, with a period of 9 to 10 seconds, and the energy is pitifully low (78 to 105). The wind is still cross-on at 12 mph. There is simply nothing to ride here for a few days.

The energy finally starts to come back on Saturday, 1 August, with a pulse of 6 ft to 6 ft from the ESE, but the period is a short, weak 7 seconds, and the wind is howling cross-on at 12 to 15 mph. The combined energy jumps to 346 to 409, but the wind is just destroying it – it’s “poor surf conditions” again. This pattern of 6 ft to 6 ft, short period, and strong cross-on wind holds through to the end of the forecast on Tuesday, 5 August. The energy is moderate (324 to 448), but it’s a complete mess.

To be brutally honest, there is not a single standout session in this entire 16-day window. The wind is wrong for Ponta Negra, the swell is messy, and the whole period is a bust. The only thing I can say is that the swell is often too big for a beginner (over 5 ft), and with the cross-on wind, it’s just a tough, choppy grind. If you’re a kite surfer, this cross-on wind and decent swell might look interesting, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a hard pass. Stick it out, mate, it’s bound to change.

Rusty.

Read more