
Surf Forecasts:
Porto da Cruz surf forecast from 28 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 2 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 6s period, NE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 28 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 7s period, NE swell with 121 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 2 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 6s period with NE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Porto da Cruz this week:
The surf forecast for Porto da Cruz over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 02) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Porto da Cruz in the next 16 days are 1.1m 7s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 12s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (WEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Tue 28th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Porto da Cruz over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, it’s your boy Rusty here, and I’ve got to be straight with you – the outlook for Porto da Cruz over the next 16 days is a tough one. We’re looking at a real dry spell for most of the period, with a lot of days where the conditions just aren’t cooperating. The biggest issue is the wind; it’s stuck in a cross-onshore pattern from the north or north-northeast for days on end, which is messing up what little swell we get.
Let’s start with the first week. We kick off on Monday, 27th July, with some swell around 4 feet from the NE, but that cross-onshore breeze at 9 mph is chopping it up. The water here is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 75°, which is a nice little bonus if you’re in the water, but it doesn’t help the surf. The energy is moderate (135), but the wave comment says it all – poor surf conditions. This pattern continues right through the week. Tuesday the 28th has a bit of swell, but with light cross-onshore winds, it’s small and messy. Wednesday and Thursday the swell drops right off, dipping to 1 foot to 2 feet – barely anything to ride. By Friday, 31st July, we see a slight bump back up to 4 feet, but the wind is still cross-onshore, and the period is short at 5-6 seconds, so it’s just weak, lumpy stuff.
We hit a bit of a lull over the weekend of 1st and 2nd August. The swell is around 3 feet to 4 feet, and the wind does shift to onshore, which is a little better, but the period stays short, and the energy is moderate (151). The surf is still unrideable. Monday the 3rd and Tuesday the 4th are tiny again, with swell under 3 feet and cross-onshore winds. It’s a real struggle.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting, but frustrating. From Thursday, 6th August, we start to see a proper pulse of swell building. Thursday morning has 5 feet from the ENE, and the energy jumps to 297 – that’s moderate wave energy. By Thursday afternoon, it’s 6 feet and the energy is up to 376. The wind is still cross-onshore though, from the NNE at 9 mph, and that’s keeping it poor. Friday, 7th August, sees the swell push to 6 feet from the NE, with energy at 357, but again, the wind is cross-onshore. This is a real shame because the swell is getting some size, but the quality is just not there.
The nearest we get to a glimmer of hope is Saturday, 8th August. The morning shows 5 feet from the NE with a period of 8 seconds, and the energy is strong at 390. The wind is light from the north at 6 mph, only cross-onshore, but it’s light. The wave comment calls it “marginal,” which is the best we see. The swell direction is from the NE, but the optimum for Porto da Cruz is from the N, so it’s not quite aligned. The afternoon has 6 feet and a period of 9 seconds, with strong energy at 597, but the wind picks up to 9 mph cross-onshore, ruining it again. This is the closest we get to a standout, but it’s still not a green light.
After that, Sunday, 9th August, through to Tuesday, 11th August, the swell holds around 5 feet to 7 feet from the NNE, with moderate to strong energy, but the wind ramps up to 12-16 mph from the north, staying cross-onshore. That’s just too much chop for it to be any good. For beginners, the swell is over 5 feet from the 7th onwards, so it’s already too big, and by the 11th it’s over 8 feet, which is expert-only territory, but with the wind, it’s a mess.
In short, there are no good surf options in this 16-day window. The northeast swell is there, but the wind is just relentless. For a reef break like Porto da Cruz, that cross-onshore flow is a killer. The consistency is fairly consistent, but the quality is poor. If you’re a kite surfer, that 7 feet swell with a strong cross-onshore wind on the 11th might look more interesting than a paddle session. For now, we’re in a blank run. It’s frustrating, but it happens here. The forecasts can change, so keep an eye on it, but don’t hold your breath.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Tue morning, min 19°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Sun morning, min 20°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | NE 7 | NE 7 | NNE 8 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | N 12 | N 11 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | N 9 | N 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
91 | 63 | 64 | 38 | 25 | 16 | 23 | 30 | 62 | 83 | 83 | 96 | 103 | 103 | 75 | 56 | 46 | 41 | 25 | 24 | 13 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | glassy | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross |
High Tide | 2:25PM1.99m | 2:44AM1.86m | 2:58PM2.08m | 3:17AM1.91m | 3:31PM2.14m | 3:49AM1.95m | 4:03PM2.17m | 4:21AM1.96m | 4:34PM2.16m | 4:54AM1.95m | 5:08PM2.12m | 5:30AM1.91m | 5:44PM2.04m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:08AM0.40m | 8:39PM0.32m | 8:42AM0.32m | 9:12PM0.25m | 9:14AM0.26m | 9:44PM0.21m | 9:46AM0.23m | 10:16PM0.19m | 10:18AM0.23m | 10:48PM0.19m | 10:51AM0.26m | 11:21PM0.23m | 11:27AM0.32m | 11:58PM0.29m | |||||||
7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | |
— | — | 9:08 | — | — | 9:07 | — | — | 9:07 | — | — | 9:06 | — | — | 9:06 | — | — | 9:05 | — | — | 9:04 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 20 | 24 | 24 | 21 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 26 | 26 | 23 | 26 | 26 | 23 |
Feels °C | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 20 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 28 | 28 | 25 | 29 | 27 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | NE 7 | NNE 8 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | ENE 7 | N 8 | ENE 6 | N 10 | N 10 | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 5 | SSW 12 |
91 | 63 | 64 | 38 | 25 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 19 | 31 | 30 | 16 | 15 | 103 | 75 | 56 | 43 | 27 | 15 | 11 | 29 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 11 | NNW 10 | N 11 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | N 8 | N 11 | N 11 | N 7 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | N 9 | N 9 | N 10 | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | N 9 | NE 6 |
22 | 20 | 9 | 3 | 11 | 11 | 23 | 21 | 4 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 15 | 15 | 48 | 46 | 41 | 25 | 24 | 10 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | N 11 | N 7 | N 12 | ENE 6 | N 8 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | S 12 | S 16 | WNW 9 | N 11 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | N 9 |
8 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 21 | 43 | 42 | 35 | 35 | 33 | 13 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | NNE 2 | — | NNE 6 | NNE 4 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | NE 5 | — | ENE 5 |
— | — | — | 1 | — | 16 | 10 | 30 | 62 | 83 | 83 | 96 | 103 | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | 5 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 476 | 476 | 16 | 16 | 1149 | 16 | 476 | 38 | 38 | 28 | 28 | 22 | 28 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 16 | 4 | 16 | 16 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Madeira | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Portugal | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Porto da Cruz Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Porto da Cruz provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Porto da Cruz can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Porto da Cruz 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 (Porto da Cruz) 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 Porto da Cruz 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.
Porto da Cruz is 14 km (9 miles) from Funchal. If you plan a holiday in Madeira, look for hotels and other accommodation in Funchal. Funchal has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










