Praia da Vila Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s see what we’ve got on the cards for Praia da Vila. This is a sandbar setup that’s very consistent, so we shouldn’t be waiting long for a wave.

The first little run of surf kicks off on Tuesday the 21st of July. It’s not huge, around 5ft of swell from the ENE with a short 8-second period, but the energy is moderate (301). The kicker here is the cross-offshore wind from the ESE at just 3 mph, keeping things clean. The water temp is sitting at 64°, which is about 1° cooler than normal for this time of year, so pretty average – you won’t need a thick wetsuit, but a spring suit might feel good.

Wednesday the 22nd of July morning is a real treat. The swell drops slightly to 4ft, still from the ENE, but the wind goes completely glassy. Zero wind. That’s the kind of morning you wake up early for. The energy is moderate (253), and the surf will be clean and smooth. The afternoon fades to a tiny 2ft, so don’t expect much then.

Thursday the 23rd of July sees a shift. The swell builds to 5ft in the morning from the S, but the wind is a cross-onshore from the SSW at 9 mph. The energy jumps up to 422, but it’s going to be choppy. By the afternoon, the swell hits 8ft from the S, and the energy is strong (1118), but with the same cross-onshore wind, it’s going to be a messy, lumpy affair. This setup is more for kite surfing than a clean paddle session.

Friday the 24th of July is the standout of this first week. The morning is glassy again, with a nice 6ft swell from the SE at a 9-second period. The energy is solid (749). The wind is dead calm. Afternoon keeps the same swell size, and the wind swings offshore from the ENE at 3 mph. That’s clean, powerful, and well-shaped surf. This is the one to circle.

The weekend gets messy. Saturday the 25th of July has onshore winds, and by Sunday the 26th, the swell drops to 3ft with a long 12-second period, but the cross-onshore wind ruins it. The energy is still moderate (552), but the surface will be bumpy. Monday the 27th of July cleans up with offshore winds, but the swell is smaller at 4ft.

Looking into the second week, things get more interesting again. Thursday the 30th of July afternoon brings a glassy 6ft swell from the S, with very strong energy (544). That’s a promising but less certain call this far out.

Then, the real long-range promise kicks in around Monday the 3rd of August. The morning is glassy with a 4ft SE swell and a 11-second period, giving you clean, lined-up waves. The energy is decent (550). Tuesday the 4th of August looks even better: 4ft from the SE with a very long 13-second period, and offshore winds. The energy is strong (910). That’s a proper groundswell, and at this sandbar, it should offer some great shape. Just be aware that with the long period, the sets will be less frequent, but the wait will be worth it.

The period from the 28th of July through the 1st of August has a few days of small, ordinary surf, so don't expect much action there.

So, to sum it up: the best on offer is Friday the 24th of July, with the glassy morning and clean offshore afternoon. The long-range treasure is Tuesday the 4th of August, with that big-period SE groundswell and offshore winds. Get on it.

Rusty.

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