Praia Cardoso Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let's have a look at what we've got for Praia Cardoso. It's a fairly consistent beginner-friendly spot, exposed to the south, but we're looking at a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, the next week is pretty average at best. There's a pulse of south swell coming in right now, around 7ft to 7ft on Friday afternoon with a 13-second period, but it's being hammered by a cross-onshore wind. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so nothing to write home about there. That setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, to be honest. That energy is strong though, with a combined energy reading of 1694.

Saturday sees the swell drop back to 5ft, but the wind swings cross-offshore, cleaning things up. Still, it's not really doing anything special. Sunday and Monday are small and weak, with the energy dropping to triple digits and then double digits. By Tuesday afternoon the 18th of August, the wind goes glassy, but there's only 0.7ft of swell – a total dud.

We then have a long, flat stretch. From the 19th right through to the morning of the 24th, there's hardly a ripple worth paddling for. It's a proper gap, day after day of nothing doing.

Now, here's the interesting bit. Into the second week, things start looking up. The standout is the morning of Tuesday the 25th of August. The swell builds back to a solid 5ft from the south, with a 10-second period, and the wind is a light cross-offshore breeze. The combined swell energy is a moderate 673, and conditions are clean. It's not huge, but for this spot, that's the best on offer, easily.

Then Wednesday the 26th of August looks even punchier, if a little more uncertain being further out. The morning has a 7ft swell from the ESE with a light cross-offshore wind and a combined energy of 806, which is strong. But the real cherry on top is Wednesday afternoon: 7ft from the ESE, with glassy conditions. That'll be clean, powerful, and seriously good fun. For a beginner-friendly spot, 7ft is starting to get a bit much for the learners, but for a competent surfer, that's the session to aim for.

So, to sum it up: the next week is mostly a write-off, with a small, clean window on the Saturday morning. The real promise is the final few days of the forecast, specifically the 25th morning and the 26th afternoon. Those are your ones to watch. Mark it in the calendar, but don't hold your breath until we get closer.

Rusty.

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