Praia Cardoso Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got some waiting to do, but there are a couple of sessions that will be worth it.

Right now, we’re staring down a pretty quiet start. There’s no surf worth paddling out for until Thursday the 10th of September. That first session is a bit of a tease. Thursday morning at Praia Cardoso, we get a clean 3ft swell coming from the south with a solid 12-second period. The combined swell energy is moderate at 541. Winds are light and cross-off, so the ocean will be clean. The water is sitting at 62°, which is more than 4° colder than usual for this time of year – you’ll want a decent wetsuit. This is the best on offer for the first week, but it's only a 3 out of 10 on the overall quality. It’s a beginner-friendly wave, and the crowds can show up sometimes.

After that Thursday morning window, it goes downhill fast. Friday the 11th is a write-off with heavy rain and howling 19 mph winds. Saturday the 12th sees a bigger 8ft south swell roll in, but it’s totally blown out by 19 mph cross-onshore winds and lumpy conditions. That’s a kite-surfing day, not a paddling day. Sunday and Monday are poor to marginal, with messy winds and short-period swell.

We get a brief, average look on Tuesday morning the 15th, but it’s small and cross-on. The rest of that week is pretty much all poor or marginal, with onshore winds and lumpy seas. The swell gets big on Wednesday the 16th afternoon – 8ft at 11 seconds from the south, with a very strong combined energy of 1489 – but it’s onshore and the tide could be a problem. That one is for experts only if the wind plays nice, but the report is sketchy.

Now, for the true standout. You want to circle Wednesday the 23rd of September. That morning, Praia Cardoso gets a solid 6ft south swell at 12 seconds, combined energy of 1001 – that’s strong wave energy. Winds are light and cross-off from the northeast, so the surf will be clean. It’s calling for excellent conditions for experienced surfers. This is a high-quality groundswell. The following morning, Thursday the 24th, is also a gem: 4ft from the south-southeast with a very long 15-second period, and a massive 1147 combined energy. Glassy cross-off winds will make it a dream. That’s a very long period groundswell that will work best on the points or reefs, but for a beach break, it will be punchy and lined up. This is the best of the whole forecast.

The very end of the run, on Friday the 25th, we see a monster 12ft east swell, but the forecast is clear: it’s too big for this break. Even with clean winds, that’s for experts only and honestly, it’s just going to be a washing machine. The combined energy is a massive 2549 – very strong.

So, the plan: tough it out through the first week, save your energy for Wednesday the 23rd and Thursday the 24th of September. Those are the real standouts.

Rusty.

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