Praia Cardoso Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for Praia Cardoso over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, it's a slow start. The first few days, from Saturday the 18th to Monday the 20th, are a write-off. Tiny waves, basically nothing on offer, with swell heights barely reaching 1 foot. The combined wave energy is weak, sitting at just 47 at best. You're better off staying home and doing a wax job.

The first real sign of life comes on Tuesday the 21st of July. It's not going to be a world-beater, but we finally see a pulse. The morning session is looking the pick of the early week, with a 2ft SSW swell rolling in. The period is a short 10 seconds, so it's a bit of a windswell, but the real treat is the glassy conditions. The wind is dead still from the WSW, making it feel like a sheet of glass. The combined energy ticks up to 102 (moderate), which is at least surfable. The water temp is a chilly 60°F, which is a whopping 5°F colder than normal for this time of year, so definitely a full wetsuit situation.

That Tuesday morning is the best bet for a while. The rest of the week gets messy. Wednesday the 22nd sees a bump in size to 4ft S swell, but with a short 8-second period and moderate rain, the cross-shore wind chops it up. Thursday the 23rd pushes to 6ft S swell, but the wind turns cross-onshore, ruining the shape. The energy is strong at 376, but it's a mess.

Friday the 24th of July morning offers a glimmer of hope. The swell is 4ft from the SSE, still a short period, but the wind is light and cross-offshore from the NE, keeping it clean. The energy is moderate at 224. It's a solid option if you're desperate, but it's hardly a standout.

The real standout, and the one to circle on the calendar, is Saturday the 1st of August. This is the one. We've got a solid 8ft E swell (over 8ft, so experts only) with a 9-second period. The combined energy is a massive 2094, which is very strong. The wind is light cross-offshore from the NE, keeping the waves clean. This is prime stuff. The morning session is the best on offer across the whole forecast, with excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers. The crowd factor is listed as "sometimes", so you might have a few others out, but it's worth it.

The day before, Friday the 31st of July, is a promising lead-in. The swell builds to 7ft E with a 7-second period and a strong energy of 794. The wind is cross-offshore, so it's clean. It's a good warm-up, but Saturday is the real prize.

After that, Sunday the 2nd of August sees the swell drop back to 6ft E with a short period and a cross-shore wind, making it less appealing.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a grind with a few okay windows, but the absolute standout is the morning of Saturday the 1st of August. That's the one to chase.

Rusty.

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