Praia Cardoso Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s look at what’s shaking for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but there’s a serious pulse of energy building for the brave.

Right now, the waiting game is on. The first real call to get wet is Saturday morning, July 25th, at Praia Cardoso. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, fairly consistent. We’ll see a clean 5 ft swell from the SE, with a period of 8 seconds. The wind is glassy—dead calm from the NNW. That’s a major positive, making for smooth, clean conditions. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no need for a thick wetsuit. The combined energy is weak, sitting at 347, so don’t expect much push, but for a beginner or a longboarder, it’s a fun little morning session. The swell direction from the SE is a good match for the optimum S direction.

Through the rest of the weekend and into the week, the surf stays small and clean but ordinary. The standouts are hard to find. Sunday morning, July 26th, sees a 3 ft swell from the S with a 12-second period, and a cross-offshore breeze, keeping it clean. Monday morning, the 27th, is even smaller at 2 ft. It’s a flat spell, really.

We hit a rough patch mid-week with building onshore winds and choppy conditions. Thursday, July 30th, is a write-off—7 ft to 8 ft of short-period, wind-affected slop (combined energy up to 538) is just poor.

The true standout is a long-range promise. It’s a few weeks out, so treat it with a grain of salt, but mark your calendar. On Monday, August 3rd, the swell starts to pump. We’re looking at 8 ft from the E with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 1451—strong wave energy. The wind is light cross-onshore, which isn’t perfect, but it’s manageable. The size is pushing into expert territory; beginners will want to sit this one out.

The real beast hits on Wednesday, August 5th. The morning shows 8 ft from the ESE with an 11-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 1628. The wind is a firm cross-offshore from the NNE, meaning clean, groomed faces. By the afternoon, the swell is forecast to be 10 ft, and the energy hits 2123. That’s a serious, powerful groundswell. However, the file says this size is predicted to be too big for this break. For a beach break, a long-period swell like this (11 seconds) can break too straight, making it tricky. But that raw power and clean wind will offer some heavy, expert-only waves. The crowd factor is listed as "sometimes," so you might have some company, but it won’t be a zoo.

After that pulse, the surf drops off a cliff by Friday, August 7th, and into the weekend, it’s flat with poor conditions. That’s a long blank run to end the forecast.

So, to wrap it up: If you’re a beginner, hit it Saturday morning, July 25th, for some glassy fun. For the experienced crew, the window from August 3rd to the 5th is where the real juice is, with August 5th being the most promising, though that size is a serious handful.

Stay stoked, and keep your eyes on the horizon.

Rusty

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