Ponto Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for Ponto.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but don’t write the whole 16 days off just yet. The first week or so is pretty lackluster, with poor surf conditions the main story. The real interest is in the second week, where we start to see a pulse of energy building.

For the first several days, from Tuesday the 4th to Sunday the 11th, it’s a real struggle. Wave heights are hovering around 1 ft to 2 ft, with the swell mainly out of the SW to SSW. The periods aren’t bad, often around 13-16 seconds, showing some long-period groundswell, but the wave energy is low, ranging from 152 to 443 on the scale – nothing to get excited about. The winds are mostly off-shore, which is clean, but the swell just doesn't have the size or power to make Ponto do its thing. It’s mostly rated as poor. The water here is a very unusual 77°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, but it doesn't make the surf any better.

Things are still quiet for much of the second week. By Friday the 14th, we start to see a shift. The wave heights are still modest, around 2 ft to 3 ft, but the combined energy is climbing significantly. You can feel it in the numbers – 565 and 661 respectively for the morning and afternoon. It’s still only a 1 out of 10, marked as marginal, but it’s a clear step up. This groundswell from the SSW has a long period of 18 seconds, but that long period can make it tricky at a river mouth like Ponto. It needs the right tide, but the shape might actually have a bit of push to it.

Then we get to what looks like the standout window. Saturday the 15th of August is the best on offer. The swell gets a bit more size, hitting 4 ft in the morning, still from the SSW with a long period of 16 seconds. The combined energy shoots up to 738, which is the strongest it’ll be across the whole outlook. The wind is light off-shore (WSW at 10 km/h which is about 6 mph), which should keep the surface glassy. This is the pick of the period for anyone who knows how to handle a long-period SSW swell at a river mouth. It’s still tagged as marginal, not epic, but it’s the one window where the pieces come together best. Expect crowds there as it’s often a busy spot.

After that, the energy fades back down through Sunday the 16th and into the final days, with heights dropping back to 2 ft to 3 ft and the energy falling away. The last few days of the outlook are mostly poor again, with the wind turning a bit cross-offshore on Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th, which can mess up the face.

So, in short: a lot of waiting this forecast period. Don't get your hopes up for the first 10 days. Target that Saturday the 15th for the best chance of a decent session at Ponto, with clean 4 ft SSW groundswell and light off-shore winds. It’s not a classic, but it’s the only real highlight.

Rusty

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