Porto da Cruz Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for our local stretch.

It's a quiet start. We're looking at a long stretch of small, messy waves at Porto da Cruz. The first week and a half is pretty much a write-off, with tiny swells and cross-onshore winds messing up what little there is. The water is sitting at 75°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least the swims will be nice.

The real story starts to build around the 14th of August. The swell is going to push up, but the wind is a letdown. For the weekend of the 14th and 15th, we’ve got a solid pulse of swell, around 6ft to 7ft from the NE, but the wind is ripping from the N and NNE at 9 to 12 mph, cross-onshore the whole time. The combined energy of all swells directed here is strong (384-466), meaning there’s plenty of power in the water, but it’s going to be a choppy, blown-out mess. This is a reef break, so it can handle a bit of size, but with that wind, it's going to be ugly. That setup honestly looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The best chance for a surf comes on Monday the 17th. The morning looks like the pick. We’ve got 6ft from the NNE, the wind is dropping right off to a light 3 mph onshore from the NE. The combined energy is a strong 432. The period is a short 8 seconds, so it won't be a classic groundswell, but with that wind dropping to near glassy, Porto da Cruz could actually have some clean, rolling lines. It’s a beginner-friendly reef break, but 6ft is a bit much for absolute beginners. The afternoon sees the wind pick up again, so get on it early.

Beyond that, the Tuesday the 18th has similar size, 6ft, but the wind is back to cross-onshore, so it’s a no-go.

So, the standout is the morning of Monday the 17th. It’s not a classic, but it’s the only window where the wind drops enough to give us clean waves. The crowds are likely there, as it's often a busy spot. Get in the water early.

Rusty.

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