Praia da Barra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the surf ahead for Praia da Barra.

Right now, we’re in a bit of a quiet spell. The first real opportunity doesn’t arrive until Friday morning, the 28th of August. The ocean’s been giving us a bit of a wait, but that Friday morning session is the standout in the whole period. We’ve got a clean 7ft swell rolling in from the WNW with a solid 11-second period, offering plenty of energy (1027). The wind is a light cross-off from the SSE, which is going to keep things clean. Water temp is sitting at 67°F, pretty much normal for this time of year. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers, but with that size, it’s a bit much for beginners. The waves will have good shape, and the long period means there’s some real grunt in them.

Friday afternoon, the wind swings onshore from the W and the quality drops right off. Not worth paddling out.

Saturday morning, the 29th, sees a drop in swell to 5ft from the NW, with a shorter 8-second period. The energy is moderate (313). But the real story here is the glassy conditions with a light N wind. That’s a major positive. It’ll be clean, but the shorter period means the waves won’t have the same push as Friday. It’s a fun option for intermediates. Saturday afternoon turns cross-onshore and gets choppy.

Sunday the 30th and Monday the 31st are a write-off. The wind is up and the conditions are poor. A moderate cross-shore chop makes it messy. There’s a long stretch from Saturday afternoon right through to the end of the first week where the quality is just not there.

We then get a bit of a lull. The next window that perks up is Saturday morning, the 12th of September. This is a promising one, but it’s a long way off. The swell is small at 3ft from the WNW, but the period is a very long 15 seconds, giving it a surprising amount of energy (474) for the size. The wind is glassy, calm. This is a classic groundswell. It’ll be clean and the sets will have some shape, but because it’s a long period swell at a sandbar break, it might break a bit straight. Still, glassy conditions are always a treat.

The rest of the second week is mostly marginal or poor, with strong cross-shore winds and lumpy surf. The swell picks up again around the 8th and 9th of September, getting over 7ft, but the wind is a messy cross-shore, so it’s not worth chasing.

Best on offer: Friday morning, 28th August. That’s the one. Clean, solid, and with good energy. For a long-range look, the glassy morning on Saturday, 12th September is interesting if you’re patient and want clean lines.

Rusty.

Read more