Praia Cardoso Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. The next couple of weeks are looking like a bit of a mixed bag here at Praia Cardoso. There’s a solid window of clean, rideable surf early on, but the ocean’s going to get properly fired up and a bit wild in the middle of the period before settling back down. Don’t get too keen on the long-range stuff just yet, it’s promising but we’ll have to see how it all lines up.

We’ve got a few days of good surf to start. Tuesday morning, September 8th, is your first real call. There’s a clean 4ft south-southeast swell rolling in with a light offshore wind. The water’s sitting at 64°F, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing weird happening there. The overall energy is moderate (382), but combined with the clean conditions, it’s a nice little session to get the week started. The waves are breaking with some decent shape, and it’s a good one for the log.

The surf dips a bit on Wednesday the 9th, but the morning is still worth a paddle. It’s glassy with a 3ft south swell. It’s smaller, but clean as a whistle. The afternoon gets a bit more cross-onshore, so the morning is definitely the pick there.

Thursday the 10th is where things start to get interesting. The morning has a clean 3ft south swell with a cross-offshore breeze, and the energy is already building (476). But it’s the afternoon that’s the standout of this first stretch. The swell jumps to 4ft from the south, the period stretches out to 14 seconds, and the cross-offshore wind is light. The energy is strong (585) and the waves are going to have some proper push and shape to them. This is the best of the first few days, no question.

Friday the 11th drops right back off. The morning is surfable but very ordinary with a small 2ft swell. The afternoon gets blown out by a fresh 35 km/h (22 mph) nor-nor-east wind. Not worth your time.

Okay, here’s where things get proper for a couple of days, but not in a good way. Saturday the 12th, the swell surges to 10ft from the south with a strong, messy onshore wind. The energy is strong to very strong (1658). Don’t even think about it unless you’re a masochist. Sunday the 13th is still big, around 8ft, but the wind lightens right off. The conditions are marginal and the sets are going to be lumpy. It’s a lot of water moving around for not much reward. You’d want to be a local who knows the bank well, but the quality just isn't there.

Monday the 14th is more of the same – big, cross-shore, and lumpy. The swell is up to 8ft and the period has dropped right down, making it messy and sectiony. This is more of a kite-surfing day honestly. The wind and the waves are just not working together for a paddle surfer.

The middle of the week is a write-off. From the 15th to the 18th, it’s a mix of poor conditions, crossed-up wind, and fading swell. There’s a bit of a pulse on Monday the 21st with 7ft south-southwest swell, but the wind is onshore and rough again. It’s a full week of not much happening, just frustrating waves and bad weather.

So, we get to the final stretch. After that long flat and messy spell, there is a day that pops. Tuesday, September 22nd, is the clear standout of this entire forecast. The morning has a clean, solid 7ft south swell with a 12-second period, and the wind is a light cross-offshore breeze. The combined energy is through the roof (2031), which means there’s real power in the water. This is a proper, experienced surfer's wave. The size might be a bit much for beginners, but for the crew that knows what they’re doing, this is the one you’ve been waiting for. The afternoon stays big as well, but it gets a bit cross-ony. The morning session is the one you want to plan for.

After that, it’s all downhill again. The swell starts to fade and the winds turn onshore for Wednesday the 23rd. So, to wrap it all up: the best surf of the next two weeks is the Thursday afternoon session on the 10th for the cleaner, more manageable waves, and then the big one on the morning of Tuesday the 22nd for the real power and size. It’s going to be a bit of a grind in between, but those two windows are worth waiting for.

Keep an eye on that forecast for the 22nd, it’s looking like a proper paddle-out.

Rusty.

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