Praia da Barra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, but in feet and miles.

To be straight with you, this 16-day stretch is a real mixed bag. For the most part, it’s looking pretty flat and messy, but there is a sliver of something decent if you’re willing to wait. The surf comes from a sandbar set-up known as Praia da Barra, which is fully exposed to the west, and that’s the only spot on the cards. The water is sitting at 70°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – a notable 5°F above average – so you won’t need a thick suit.

The first week is a tough watch. From now through the end of July, nearly every session is plagued by messy, cross-onshore or choppy winds. The swell is small, mostly under 5ft, and what little energy there is gets torn apart. The wave energy is moderate at best, with values like 194 and 230, but the wind just kills the quality. On Monday morning, 27 July, the wind goes glassy with a light 4ft northwest swell, and that looks like the first real chance for a clean wave. The energy is a solid 230, but the swell period is short at 6 seconds, so it will be a bit weak and lacking punch – still, the cleanest of a poor bunch. The next morning, Tuesday 28 July, also opens with glassy conditions and a 4ft swell from the northwest, period up to 10 seconds, energy at 274. That’s the standout of the first week – clean faces, a bit more power, but still only for the dedicated.

After that, we hit a long, barren gap. From late on the 28th right through until Saturday morning, 9 August, the forecast is grim – tiny swell, often under 3ft, with poor winds and choppy conditions. The wave energy drops into the weak range, under 100 on many days. There’s almost nothing worth paddling out for.

But hold on. The very end of the run changes the story. On Saturday morning, 9 August, things get interesting. A solid 8ft northwest swell arrives, with a period of 8 seconds and a massive jump in energy to 1215 – that’s serious power. The wind is light from the northwest, just 3 mph, so it’s almost glassy, with only small wind ripples. The comments say it’s marginal due to tide, but this is the biggest and most powerful swell of the whole outlook. It’s a proper-sized wave, and with clean conditions, it could be the one to wait for. The caveat: at 8ft, this is expert territory – not the place for beginners. The swell direction is northwest, and the optimum direction for this break is west, so it’s a little off-angle, but with that much energy, it’ll still push through.

The Sunday afternoon, 9 August session holds onto the size at 10ft with energy at 1223, but the wind swings to a fresh 19 mph cross-shore, making it lumpy and messy. Worth watching for the power, but you want to be on it Saturday morning.

So, the standout: Saturday morning, 9 August at Praia da Barra. It’s a long way off, so treat it as promising but not locked in. The first week offers only a couple of glassy windows on the 27th and 28th for small, clean waves. For the rest of the run, you’re better off doing something else. This spot is exposed and rarely breaks consistently, so a blank run like this is actually pretty normal for the area.

Rusty.

Read more