Praia Cardoso Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Praia Cardoso over the next two and a half weeks. Gotta be straight with you – this ain't a classic run. The first week is a tough slog, but there’s a glimmer of something proper tucked away in the second week if you’ve got the patience.

The opening stretch is messy. We’ve got some swell building, but it’s getting hammered by onshore and cross-shore winds that are just chopping everything up. The water temp is sittin' around 65°F, which is pretty much where it should be for this time of year, so no shock there. The real problem is the wind. Wednesday the 22nd is a write-off with a weak 2ft S’ly swell and a cross-on breeze making a mess. Thursday the 23rd sees the swell jump to 4ft in the morning and 8ft in the afternoon, but the cross-shore wind is fresh and strong, so the wave energy is high (751 in the afternoon) but it’s just lumpy, cross-chop. Not worth paddling for.

Friday the 24th drops a bit, with 6ft to 6ft S/SE swell, but the wind is still cross or cross-on, and the wave comment calls it marginal at best. The energy is moderate (436-377), but the conditions are average. Saturday the 25th is similar – a bit more size (6ft SE) with a cross-shore wind, but the afternoon gets choppy again. The energy is climbing (527-792), but the quality isn’t there.

Then we get a glimmer. Sunday the 26th and Monday the 27th see the swell drop to 3ft and 2ft, but the wind turns cross-off shore from the NNE. The period jumps to 12 seconds, which is a proper groundswell. The energy is moderate (462-242), but the conditions are clean. It’s small, but for a beginner-friendly spot like this, that clean 2ft to 3ft S’ly groundswell on Monday morning 27th could be a little gem. The 12-second period means there’s some shape and long gaps between sets, making it easy to get out.

Tuesday the 28th is the first real standout. In the morning, we get a 3ft ESE swell with a light offshore from the NNW. The wind is gentle and clean, and the period is a decent 9 seconds. The energy is low (223), but the conditions are described as "good surf conditions." Then Tuesday afternoon gets glassy. A 2ft ESE swell with a glassy sea state. That’s a rare treat. If you can get out there, that afternoon session is the pick of the first week.

After that, it’s a dry spell. From Wednesday the 29th of July all the way through to Sunday the 2nd of August, the swell is tiny, the wind is messy, and the energy is weak (18-85). It’s a real blank run. There’s nothing to get excited about.

Then we jump to the second week. The long-range outlook is promising but less certain. Monday the 3rd of August offers a 5ft E’ly swell with a cross-off shore wind. The period is only 8 seconds, so it’s a windswell, but it’s clean and the energy is moderate (480-537). It’s a decent option if the wind holds.

But the true standout of the whole 16-day window? Tuesday the 4th of August afternoon. The swell is 4ft from the S with a long 11-second period, and the wind goes glassy. The energy is strong (529), and the forecast says "expect very good surf conditions." That’s a magic window. For a spot like this, that’s the one to circle on the calendar. It’s not huge, but it’s clean, has some punch, and the glassy conditions will make it silky. The water temp will be a bit cooler by then, but it’s all about that afternoon glass.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a battle with the wind, but the best early call is Tuesday 28th afternoon for a glassy, small wave. The big winner is Tuesday 4th August afternoon. The rest of the second week is a mix of small, clean windswell and some S’ly groundswell, but nothing else hits that “very good” mark. Keep an eye on the 4th.

Rusty

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