Praia das Macas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here.

Alright, let’s be straight up. Looking at the next 16 days at Praia das Macas, it’s a pretty bleak run. We’ve got a solid NW swell direction, which is what the spot wants to see, but the wind is just wrecking it. The first week or so is plagued with moderate to fresh cross and cross-onshore breezes from the N and NNW, leaving the ocean chopped up and lumpy. It’s a tough stretch, but a tiny window of hope pops up deep in the second week.

The first solid sniff of decent surf comes on Sunday, September 6th. The morning is the real standout. We get a clean, 4ft NW swell pushing in with a long period of 11 seconds. The wind drops to a near-calm 3 mph from the NE, which is cross-offshore, dialing it right in. It’s glassy and clean. The combined energy sits at a moderate 309, so there’s some push to it. This is the absolute best on offer. It’s not big, but it’s rideable and clean. The water temp anomaly isn’t mentioned, so it’s about average for this time of year.

Now, the crowds here are “sometimes”, so on that Sunday morning, if it looks clean, expect a few locals out. It’s a beginner-friendly break, and with 4ft it’s perfect for everyone.

After that, the window slams shut. Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th are back to lumpy cross-onshore junk. By Tuesday the 8th, the swell jumps up to 7ft, but with winds howling at 15-22 mph from the NNW, it’s a complete mess. It stays pretty average right through the rest of the week into the weekend of the 12th and 13th.

One more thing to note: on the final day, Sunday, September 13th, we see a massive 8ft W swell with a combined energy of 1467 – that’s strong to very strong. But again, the wind is a fresh 19 mph cross-shore from the N, making for lumpy conditions. For an exposed beach like this, with that much wind and size, it’s honestly more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Not one for the surfboard.

So if you’re itching for a paddle, circle the morning of Sunday, September 6th. That’s your one real chance for clean, fun waves. Everything else in this 16-day stretch is a write-off thanks to the wind.

Rusty.

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