Praia Cardoso Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for Praia Cardoso.

We’re in for a bit of a slow burn over the next couple of weeks. The first few days are pretty ordinary, with messy winds and small, weak swell. There’s a gap of several days where the conditions just aren’t worth paddling out. But hold on, because there’s a real standout session on the horizon if you can wait.

Friday morning the 11th is the first chance for a surf, but it’s not much to write home about. We’ve got a small 2ft south swell with a nice long 12-second period, and it’s glassy with very light winds. The water is sitting at 61°, which is a solid 4° colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a good thick wetsuit. The wave energy is weak (136). It’s surfable, but very ordinary.

Saturday the 12th is a write-off. A short-period 7ft swell shows up, but it’s getting hammered by strong cross-onshore winds, making it lumpy and choppy. Combined energy is moderate (392), but the wind ruins it. This kind of setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Sunday morning the 13th is a bit better. The swell drops to a cleaner 4ft from the southeast, period at 8 seconds, and it’s glassy again. The wave energy is moderate (298). It’s a decent window for a beginner-friendly wave, but still nothing to get too excited about.

The following week, Monday through Wednesday, is mostly messy with onshore winds and poor quality. The swell builds a bit but the wind kills it. Another gap of poor conditions.

Then we hit Thursday morning the 17th. This is the standout. The swell is a solid 7ft from the south, period stretching out to a very long 11 seconds, with offshore winds from the north. This is clean, powerful groundswell. The combined energy is strong (1136). This is excellent surf for experienced surfers, but at 7ft it’s getting too big for beginners. The long period will make it break with a lot of punch, best handled on a point or reef setup. This is your best bet across the whole 16 days, but being a week out, it’s promising but not locked in yet.

After that, conditions fade again. Friday the 18th drops to 4ft with clean sideshore winds, but the energy drops to moderate (410). Then from Saturday the 19th, the swell completely backs off, dropping below 2ft for several days with very weak energy. There’s another gap of poor, tiny surf.

Tuesday morning the 22nd shows a spike of 6ft with a short 7-second period and glassy conditions. The combined energy is moderate (369). It’s a fair shot but the period is short, so the waves won’t have much push.

Thursday the 24th morning offers a cleaner 4ft south-east swell with light offshore winds. Combined energy is moderate (247). A decent, clean option but nothing compared to that Thursday the 17th session.

So, overall, there’s a lot of waiting. But if you’re keen, circle Thursday the 17th – that’s the one to aim for.

Rusty.

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