Praia Brava Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for Praia Brava. Gotta be straight with you – the next 16 days are a real mixed bag, and honestly, for the first week or so, it’s looking pretty grim. We’re paying the price for a long stretch of poor conditions before anything worth paddling out for shows up.

The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t arrive until Monday, August 10th, and even then it’s a tough sell. A new S swell rolls in, but the wind is all over the place. Monday morning sees a 4ft, 12-second S swell, but it’s cross-shore with a chop, and the combined energy is moderate at 688. It’s a marginal call at best. That afternoon jumps to 7ft, also from the S at 12 seconds, but the wind goes cross-on and it gets messy. The energy jumps to 1273, but it’s not surfable.

Tuesday, August 11th, is a washout. The swell sticks around at 6ft to 6ft from the S, periods around 12-13 seconds, but with onshore winds and rain, it’s a total no-go.

The one true standout in this whole period is Wednesday afternoon, August 12th. I’m getting a bit excited just thinking about it. The morning is still a bit compromised, but by the afternoon, the wind goes glassy. Seriously, glassy conditions at Praia Brava. The swell is a solid 5ft from the S at 11 seconds, with a combined energy of 863 – that’s a solid moderate groundswell. The forecast says "expect very good surf conditions," and I’m inclined to agree. This is the window. The water temperature is about what you’d expect for this time of year, so no nasty surprises there. This is the one to circle on the calendar. Be ready for it.

After that, the forecast gets a bit unstable again. Thursday, August 13th, has size (7ft S, 12s) but the wind is cross or cross-on, making it choppy. A bigger, longer-period swell shows up on Friday, August 14th. The morning has a 6ft S swell with a 15-second period – that’s a seriously long period groundswell, and the combined energy is a very strong 2098. The wind is offshore (WSW) in the morning, which is a huge plus. However, that long period means it might be a bit straight and fat for a beach/jetty break like Praia Brava; it’s better suited for a point or reef. The afternoon looks clean with a light cross-on breeze. This is a promising but less certain long-range standout.

The following Saturday, August 15th, afternoon session also has potential. A 5ft S swell at 12 seconds with cross-offshore wind and a clean surface. The combined energy is 862, which is solid. The rain showers might put a few people off, but the surf will be there.

The rest of the second week into August 21st gets messy again with building onshore winds and a mix of swells that don’t really line up. A 8ft ESE swell on the 21st sounds big, but it’s short period (8s) and the wind is a mess, so it’s one to skip.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off. The best bet is Wednesday afternoon, August 12th, for the glassy conditions and good S swell. The Friday morning, August 14th, has the biggest energy, but take the long period caveat with a grain of salt at this break. This is a spot that needs a clean window, and it’s only getting a couple. Keep your eyes peeled for updates.

Stay stoked,
Rusty

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