Ponta Negra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this 16-day window for Ponta Negra is a tough one. We’re looking at a long stretch of onshore or cross-onshore wind that just won’t let up, and the swell is all short-period, weak stuff. It’s a long grind of poor surf conditions, so let’s get into it.

### The Outlook

Right from Wednesday, August 19th, we’re starting with a mess. Ponta Negra sees a 6 ft swell from the ESE, but it’s paired with a 16 mph cross-on wind from the SSE. The period is a short, weak 7 seconds, and the combined energy is only 282. That’s just choppy, poor surf. This pattern locks in for days. The swell bounces between 3 ft and 6 ft through the rest of August, but the wind stays stubbornly cross-on or onshore from the SE or ESE, blowing at 12 to 19 mph. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing to get excited about.

We muddle through Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st with the same story: 5 ft to 6 ft of short-period, choppy slop. The combined energy climbs to 425 on Thursday afternoon, but with a 16 mph cross-on wind, it’s just more junk for the kite surfers. The whole first week is a write-off for a decent paddle session.

The weekend of the 23rd and 24th brings a slight drop in swell size, down to 3 ft – 4 ft, and the wind eases a little to 12 mph, but it’s still cross-on. The energy drops to around 135, which is weak. No standouts here.

Things get worse as we head into the last week of August. Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th see the wind crank back up to 19 mph from the SE, with a fresh cross-on breeze making it lumpy. The swell sits at 5 ft to 6 ft, but with only 7 seconds of period, it’s just a messy, blown-out shorebreak. The combined energy is in the 300s, but it’s all noise.

From Thursday the 27th all the way through to the end of the month and into the first few days of September, the wind finally goes onshore, with the ESE flow hitting 9 to 12 mph. The swell drops into the 4 ft to 5 ft range, still with that pathetic 7-second period. The combined energy hovers between 162 and 283. The surf is small, weak, and crummy. The best you can hope for is a knee-high, bumpy closeout.

### The Only Glimmer

Look, there is no standout period. The whole forecast is a bust. The only day that comes *closest* to being rideable is Monday, August 31st. We get a gentle breeze from the E at 9 mph, with the swell at 4 ft to 4 ft from the east. The period is still a short 7 seconds, and the combined energy is a weak 162-186. The wind is onshore, but at least it’s light. If you’re desperate, you might find a few crumbly little waves on a longboard. But don’t expect any quality.

Honestly, this setup is better suited for a kite than a paddle. The constant cross and onshore winds with a consistent, though poor, swell will keep the kites happy. For the rest of us, it’s a long, dry spell. It’s not unusual for this area to have a blank run like this, so don’t lose hope. Forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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