Surf Forecasts:
San Miguel - Populo surf forecast from 15 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 22 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 14s period, NW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 22 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 14s period, NW swell with 514 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 16 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 12s period with NW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for San Miguel - Populo this week:
The surf forecast for San Miguel - Populo over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at San Miguel - Populo in the next 16 days are 1.1m 14s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 22) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 7s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (+00) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Wed 16th Sep) | 2ft (0.6m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Tue 22nd Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Tue 22nd Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for San Miguel - Populo over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the outlook for Populo (San Miguel).
Right off the bat, we’ve got a pretty quiet patch to get through. The first week or so is looking ordinary for the most part, with just some tiny, forgettable waves in the mix. Things really kick off properly on Tuesday, September 22nd, when a new swell arrives.
That’s the real standout of the whole period. We’re looking at chest-to-shoulder high surf, 4 ft to 4 ft, coming from the NW with a period around 13 to 14 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell with some long lines. The combined swell energy will be a hefty 556, so there’s some real power in the water. The best part? It’s glassy on Tuesday, with the wind turning a light cross-off on Wednesday morning. This is going to be clean and lined up, a solid run of quality surf right there.
The water is sitting at a warm 77 °F, and it’s about a touch warmer than what’s typical for this time of year – just a bit extra comfort in the water.
Now, a heads-up on that swell: with the period over 12 seconds, at a beach break like Populo, the sets can wall up and close out a bit. So keep your eyes open for the better peaks and don’t just paddle into the first one you see. It’s fairly consistent, but it’s also a beginner-friendly spot, so that 4 ft size will be a fun but challenging step up for learners.
After that, there’s another pulse right around Friday, September 26th into the afternoon. Another NW swell, 3 ft to 4 ft, with a nice 14-second period. Again, the wind looks clean, very light, and you’ll have the place to yourself in terms of crowd pressure. This is your backup window.
The very end of the forecast window, on Wednesday, September 30th, shows another potential push, with waves up to 3 ft from the W, but it’s over a week away, so it’s promising but nothing to set your watch by just yet.
Overall, get your skates on for the 22nd and the 26th. The rest is a waiting game with small, poor-quality surf in between. At Populo, when it’s good, it’s worth the effort. For now, patience, and then it’ll pay off.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Thu morning. Warm (max 25°C on Tue afternoon, min 20°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Fri afternoon, min 19°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | Monday 21 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 10 | NW 12 | S 13 | S 18 | S 17 | S 16 | S 16 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | NNW 12 | S 10 | S 10 | NW 15 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 54 | 110 | 31 | 55 | 53 | 80 | 79 | 65 | 65 | 62 | 52 | 29 | 28 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 115 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:57PM1.50m | 5:21AM1.47m | 5:37PM1.39m | 6:05AM1.39m | 6:22PM1.29m | 6:57AM1.33m | 7:21PM1.20m | 8:04AM1.29m | 8:42PM1.16m | 9:24AM1.29m | 10:08PM1.18m | 10:33AM1.34m | 11:12PM1.24m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:06PM0.57m | 11:29AM0.65m | 11:43PM0.66m | 12:17PM0.74m | 00:27AM0.75m | 1:22PM0.81m | 1:27AM0.82m | 2:50PM0.84m | 2:50AM0.85m | 4:15PM0.82m | 4:10AM0.82m | 5:13PM0.75m | ||||||||
 |  |  | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — |
 | 7:51 | — | — | 7:49 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:40 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 25 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 20 |
Feels °C | 26 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 20 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 6 | NW 12 | NNW 11 | NNW 10 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | S 13 | NNW 13 | NNW 12 | NNW 12 | NNW 11 | N 11 | NNW 12 | NNW 11 | NNW 12 | NNW 11 |
| kJ | 23 | 110 | 222 | 121 | 111 | 86 | 62 | 56 | 33 | 19 | 52 | 135 | 155 | 142 | 88 | 57 | 125 | 82 | 90 | 71 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | S 18 | S 17 | S 16 | S 16 | E 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 9 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | S 12 | ESE 6 | NNW 13 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | NW 15 |
| kJ | 54 | 27 | 17 | 55 | 53 | 80 | 79 | 32 | 26 | 26 | 19 | 17 | 9 | 23 | 8 | 68 | 11 | 9 | 18 | 115 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 12 | S 13 | S 13 | WNW 9 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | N 7 | S 13 | S 13 | ENE 6 | S 11 | S 11 | N 10 | S 10 | S 10 | WNW 10 |
| kJ | 24 | 14 | 31 | 16 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 65 | 65 | 62 | 8 | 29 | 28 | 4 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 8 | 8 | 39 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 6 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 | — | ESE 3 | — | — | SE 3 | SE 3 | — | SE 2 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 30 | 158 | 93 | 127 | 74 | 35 | 50 | 73 | — | 1 | — | — | 5 | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 936 | 941 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in The Azores | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Portugal | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the San Miguel - Populo Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for San Miguel - Populo provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at San Miguel - Populo can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our San Miguel - Populo surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (San Miguel - Populo) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for San Miguel - Populo may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Are you planning a holiday in The Azores? If you are looking for accommodation near San Miguel - Populo, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in The Azores, consider staying in Ponta Delgada which is 4 km (2 miles) away. Alternatively, find information about places to stay and car hire in Santa Maria Acores which is 96 km (60 miles) away
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