Praia da Vila Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and listen up. Rusty here.

Let’s be straight. The next 16 days at Praia da Vila are a mixed bag, but there’s a standout window worth planning around. The pattern starts off average, with a lot of onshore wind and messy conditions, but a clean spell builds for the second week.

Starting Tuesday, the 1st of September, we’re in a slump. Swell is around 5 ft from the SE, but it’s short period at 8 seconds and the wind is howling onshore from the SW at 16 mph. The combined energy is weak at 269, and the water temp is 66°F, which is normal for the time of year. It’s just poor, messy conditions. That carries on through Wednesday and Thursday, though Thursday afternoon sees a bit of hope: the wind swings offshore from the NNE at 16 mph, swell drops to 4 ft from the SE with an 11-second period (moderate energy of 329), and the report says “moderate offshore and clean.” That’s a small window of clean surf, but small.

Friday through Sunday, the 4th to 6th of September, is a write-off. Onshore winds, choppy, poor. Saturday the 5th has a 3 ft swell from the ENE at 8 seconds, but it’s not happening. Sunday the 6th shows a bigger 7 ft swell from the S at 9 seconds, but the wind is onshore and nasty, so it’s a mess. The energy jumps to 823 (moderate) but it’s not surfable.

Monday the 7th is still poor, but then we get a shift. Tuesday the 8th of September has a 6 ft SSE swell with a 12-second period, energy at 1013 (moderate to strong), but wind is onshore in the morning. Marginal.

Now, the real standout. Wednesday the 9th of September. This is the one. The morning is glassy, with an ESE wind at just 3 mph, and the swell is 5 ft from the SSE with a 12-second period. The combined energy is 1043, which is strong. The report says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” That’s clean, lined-up groundswell with no wind. The afternoon holds up too, with a cross-offshore breeze from the ENE at 9 mph, swell 6 ft, 13-second period, and energy of 1121. This is the best day of the whole run. The swell direction (SSE) matches the optimum for the spot. Expect clean, powerful waves. It’s a bit sizey for beginners at 5 ft, but for intermediates and up, it’s gold.

After that, Thursday the 10th of September is okay, but a drop-off. The wind is offshore from the NE at 16 mph, but the swell is 7 ft from the ENE at a short 8 seconds, so it’s lumpy and less organised. Energy is 839. It’s still surfable, but not as clean as Wednesday.

Friday the 11th to Saturday the 12th of September are marginal but clean. Saturday morning is a standout within that period: offshore wind from the NE at 3 mph, swell 5 ft from the ENE at 10 seconds, energy 593. The report says “expect very good surf conditions.” It’s small but clean.

Sunday the 13th of September has a decent afternoon: light cross-offshore wind from the ENE at 3 mph, swell 5 ft from the S at 9 seconds, energy 537. “Clean” conditions again.

Then another rough patch. Monday the 14th to Tuesday the 15th of September is back to strong onshore winds and poor surf. The energy is still moderate, but the wind ruins it.

The tail end, Wednesday the 16th of September, sees a small clean-up. Offshore wind from the NE at 6 mph, swell 3 ft from the S at 10 seconds, energy 247. Small but clean, good for a longboard or a fun session.

Overall, the clear winner is Wednesday the 9th of September. Glassy morning, solid groundswell from the SSE, and the best conditions of the entire 16 days. Don’t sleep on it.

Rusty.

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