Praia Cardoso Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, it's Wednesday the 9th, and the start is a slow burner. We've got a glassy Wednesday morning to kick things off with chest-high, 3ft south swell rolling in on a solid 10-second period. The combined energy is sitting at a moderate 254, and with the wind glassy off the land, it's real clean. Water temp is sittin' about 63°, which feels a noticeable degree colder than usual for this time of year – bring a decent spring suit.

That's the best we'll see for a couple of days. Wednesday afternoon goes onshore and flat-ish, and Thursday through the weekend is a mixed bag. Thursday the 10th is actually quite promising – morning and afternoon both have that 3ft to 4ft south swell, period pushing up to 12 and even 14 seconds. The combined energy jumps right up into the moderate to strong zone (541 and 585), and the offshore cross-off wind means clean, lined-up waves at Praia Cardoso. That Thursday is the standout of the first week, especially the afternoon with the longer period.

The weekend gets a bit chunky. Saturday the 12th there's a big pulse of 8ft to 8ft south swell, but the wind is a solid 30 km/h cross-onshore, making it lumpy and blown out. Combined energy hits a massive 1377 – there's heaps of power there – but it's only for experienced surfers and even then, the wind is a killer. Sunday the 13th drops a bit into the 6ft to 6ft range but still has messy cross-shore wind. It's more of a kite-surfing scenario than a clean paddle session.

After that, there's a run of poor days from Monday the 14th through to Tuesday the 15th – wind, chop, and shorter period swell making things ordinary. We finally get a decent reprieve on Thursday the 17th morning, when a 6ft south swell with 11-second period and clean cross-off wind shows up (energy 754). It's a marginal call with that wind strength though – 20 km/h is still a breeze.

The real late bloomer is Friday the 18th morning. Light offshore wind from the north, 4ft south swell, 12-second period, and only 446 combined energy but really clean conditions. That's your second standout window – small but clean, and a lot more surfer-friendly than the big weekend mess.

Monday the 21st morning also catches the eye with 6ft east swell, offshore wind, and clean conditions. Energy is a moderate 323 – a nice little pulse, but it's a single-morning window before the onshore kicks in.

After that, it fades fast. The last week of the window from the 22nd to the 24th is mostly tiny or wind-affected, with nothing worth paddling out for.

Overall, the best bet is Thursday the 10th for the combo of solid swell and clean conditions, with a second shout for Friday the 18th morning when the offshore wind cleans it all up. There's a decent gap of poor conditions in the middle there, so pick your windows carefully.

Rusty.

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