Porto da Cruz Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it’s a tough stretch ahead for Porto da Cruz. The whole 16-day window is a bit of a struggle. We’re looking at a long, long gap of poor conditions right from the start. From Wednesday the 2nd right through to the morning of Sunday the 13th, it’s pretty much all cross-onshore winds and messy surf. The swell hangs around in the 2ft to 4ft range, mostly from the ENE or NE, with short periods around 6 to 7 seconds, so it’s just weak and choppy. The combined energy values are all over the place, but mostly in the weak to moderate range (68 to 532), which doesn’t mean much when the wind is ruining it.

The water temp is sitting at 76°, which is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

Now, there is a tiny glimmer. The afternoon of Sunday the 13th of September is the one standout. The wind drops to glassy, and we get a 5ft swell from the NNE with an 8-second period. The combined energy hits 311, which is moderate, but that glassy wind is the real prize. The comment even says “expect good surf conditions,” so that’s our best bet. It’s a reef break, and with that NNE swell, it should line up nicely. It’s only a 2 out of 5 in the ratings, so it’s not a world-class wave, but it’ll be the cleanest we see.

Monday the 14th morning stays glassy with a 3ft NNE swell, but it’s just “surfable waves” with very ordinary conditions. After that, it fades back into the doldrums.

So, to be blunt, if you’ve got a paddle board, you might be better off. For a surfboard, your only real window is that glassy Sunday afternoon. Everything else is a write-off. The wind is never truly offshore in our favour, and the swell is too small or too short period to overcome the onshore chop.

Rusty.

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