Porto da Cruz Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, but in feet now.

First up, we've got Porto da Cruz. This is a reef break on the north coast, and it’s fairly exposed to the north swell. Right now, there's a bit of pulse in the water, but honestly, the outlook for the next fortnight is pretty grim. The water’s sitting at a warm 77°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so it’s not all bad news if you’re just having a swim.

Tuesday morning (August 25th) has the most going for it. We’re looking at a 5ft northerly swell with a 9-second period, and the wind is glassing off. The combined energy is moderate at 320. It’s got a bit of shape, but it’s marginal. By the afternoon, the wind goes glassy again, and the swell drops to 4ft. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about. Crowds are often, so you might have company on the shoulder.

Wednesday morning (August 26th) is tiny – 3ft of north swell, but that glassy wind is still there. It’s a toy wave. Then it gets messy. From Wednesday afternoon all the way through to early September, it’s a write-off. Onshore winds, cross-chop, and poor conditions dominate. The swell tries to pick up a little around August 28th, hitting 6ft to 6ft with a longer, cleaner 10-11 second period from the north, and combined energy jumping to 835-850. But the wind is a problem – cross-onshore and choppy. It’s not worth the paddle.

There’s a long gap with no real recommendations after that. The swell sticks around in the 2ft to 5ft range through to the end of the month, but every single entry is marked as poor surf conditions. The wind stays onshore or cross-onshore, mostly from the NNE at 9-12 mph.

As we roll into September, things don't improve. From September 1st to the 9th, the swell builds a bit – by September 4th and 5th we see 6ft to 7ft of northeast swell, with combined energy climbing to 525. That size is getting into expert territory, but the period is short at 7 seconds, and the wind is straight onshore or cross-onshore. It’s just messy, choppy, and blown out. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Really, there’s no standout in this 16-day window. The only half-decent session was Tuesday morning, August 25th, with that glassy wind and a 5ft north swell. If you’re desperate, that’s your window. After that? Save your energy.

Rusty.

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