Porto da Cruz Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Honestly, it’s a pretty quiet start. The first real surf we see is gonna be small and messy, and nothing’s really happening until we get much further into the period. There’s a long gap of weak, poor-quality surf until the second week.

The first bit of action is around Thursday the 6th of August, but it’s tiny. We’re lookin’ at Porto da Cruz, a reef break that’s fairly consistent and often has a few heads out. The water’s at 76°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

Thursday afternoon sees a little 2 ft N swell, but with a NE wind blowing 6 mph, it’s onshore. The energy’s weak at 138. Not worth paddlin’ out for.

Friday the 7th is more of the same – 2 ft N swell, light NNE wind, cross-onshore. The water’s still warm, but the surf is poor. Saturday and Sunday don’t get any better, with the swell droppin’ to 1 ft and the wind staying cross or cross-onshore. Energy’s barely a whisper (38-49). You’re better off stayin’ on the beach.

The first half of the second week is still a struggle. Monday the 10th has a tiny 2 ft NNW swell, but the wind is cross-onshore. Tuesday the 11th brings a long-period 13-second groundswell from the NNW, but it’s only 1.0 ft. The energy is 100, but with that period and tiny size, it’s a tease. The cross-onshore wind spoils it. This pattern of small, wind-affected junk continues right through to the 13th.

Now, here’s where it gets a bit more interesting. From Thursday the 14th of August, the swell starts to build. We get a 4 ft NE swell, but the period is a short 6 seconds, and the wind is still cross-onshore. Energy is up to 150, but it’s choppy. It’s still poor surf.

The real change comes around Monday the 17th of August. The swell jumps to 6 ft from the NNE, with a 7-second period. The energy is moderate at 257, but the wind is a moderate 12 mph from the N, cross-onshore and choppy. The surf is still rated poor. This continues Tuesday the 18th, with the swell hittin’ 6 ft and energy of 362.

Then, on Wednesday the 19th of August, we get a solid pulse. Swell hits 7 ft from the NE, period 8 seconds, and the energy is strong at 638. But, the wind is still a moderate 12 mph onshore. It’s gonna be a bumpy, choppy mess. This is only for the experts, and even then, it’s not great.

The standout window, if you can call it that, is Thursday the 20th of August. The swell is still a meaty 7 ft from the NNE, with a 9-second period, and the energy is strong at 685. The wind is a gentler 9 mph cross-onshore. The forecast says “marginal surf conditions or questionable tide conditions,” which is the first time we get anything above a zero score. It’s still not clean, but it’s the best of a poor bunch. The size is too big for beginners, and the cross-onshore wind will keep it from being proper.

Friday the 21st of August drops back to 6 ft, with a stronger 12 mph wind, spoiling the last chance.

The bottom line: There’s no standout day here. The whole 16-day window is a write-off for quality surf. The swell builds, but the wind is always from the N or NNE, which is cross-onshore or onshore for Porto da Cruz. The only “best on offer” would be the morning of the 20th, but it’s a long way out and the wind is still a problem. For a reef break, the onshore wind is a killer. If you’re a kiter, the windy afternoons from the 17th onward might get you stoked, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a tough outlook.

Rusty, signing off.

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