Surf Forecasts:
Praia das Macas surf forecast from 15 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 16 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 9s period, NNW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 21 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 8s period, NNW swell with 1,147 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 16 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 9s period with NNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Praia das Macas this week:
The surf forecast for Praia das Macas over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.1m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 16s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Praia das Macas in the next 16 days are 3.0m 8s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (WEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 7ft (2.1m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 10AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 7ft (2.1m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Praia das Macas over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s cut through the noise and talk about what’s coming up for Praia das Macas over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the first several days are a write-off. We’ve got a bit of swell rolling in from the NNW, but it’s getting hammered by a strong cross-onshore wind. Saturday morning the 15th has 7ft of lumpy, short-period slop (8 seconds) and a fresh 19 mph cross-onshore breeze. The wave energy is moderate at best (517), but the conditions are just poor. That carries right through the weekend. Sunday the 16th morning is a little cleaner with a light cross-shore, but the swell is still a disorganised 7ft and the ride is marginal.
The only real window of opportunity in this whole outlook comes early in the week. Monday morning, August 17th is the standout. The wind swings around to a light 3 mph cross-offshore from the south, and the swell drops to a manageable 6ft from the NNW. The combined energy is still moderate (374), but the report says "clean" and called it "expect good surf conditions." That’s the session to target. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. For a beginner-friendly break like this, that clean, waist-to-chest high swell with light offshore wind is about as good as it gets. Just be aware that crowds are sometimes an issue here, so get there early.
Tuesday morning the 18th will also be clean with a cross-off breeze, but the swell is dropping to 4ft with less energy (237). It’ll be fun on a longboard, but not as punchy as Monday.
After that, the swell dies completely. From Wednesday the 19th through to the end of the week, we’re looking at tiny 2ft to 2ft waves with very weak energy (under 100). Not worth paddling out for.
Then, on Friday the 21st of August, the swell jumps back up to 8ft with a fresh 19 mph cross-onshore wind. That’s a combination that’s going to be a mess. The fetch is strong (energy over 1000), but the wind just ruins it. It stays like that, with onshore winds and lumpy conditions, right through the following weekend and into the next week. The swell sticks around 7ft to 8ft, but it’s all cross-onshore and choppy. Not for surfing – that’s kite-surfing weather if I’ve ever seen it.
By the end of the month, the swell tries to make a comeback on the 29th and 30th, but again, it’s getting slapped by a strong cross-onshore wind. The 30th morning has a more manageable cross-shore, but conditions are only marginal.
So, to sum it up: Monday morning, August 17th is your best bet by a long shot. A clean, fun-sized swell, light offshore wind, and a decent break for a beginner. The rest of the period is mostly blown out or flat. There’s a gap of nearly no surf from the 19th to the 21st, and then a long stretch of onshore junk.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Mon night. Warm (max 25°C on Mon morning, min 20°C on Sat morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NNW on Sat afternoon, calm by Sun morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Tue morning, min 19°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue night, strong winds from the N by Thu night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 8 | NW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | WNW 10 | NNW 7 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
517 | 617 | 771 | 700 | 422 | 232 | 361 | 306 | 212 | 228 | 172 | 142 | 89 | 67 | 55 | 65 | 541 | 785 | 1147 | 891 | 789 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 5:14PM3.09m | 5:38AM2.76m | 5:53PM2.90m | 6:15AM2.62m | 6:32PM2.65m | 6:54AM2.45m | 7:13PM2.39m | 7:37AM2.27m | 8:01PM2.14m | 8:29AM2.10m | 9:05PM1.94m | 9:44AM1.98m | 10:36PM1.85m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:57AM0.08m | 11:28PM0.05m | 11:36AM0.20m | 00:04AM0.23m | 12:15PM0.37m | 00:40AM0.45m | 12:56PM0.58m | 1:18AM0.68m | 1:42PM0.79m | 2:03AM0.90m | 2:42PM0.98m | 3:06AM1.07m | 4:10PM1.09m | ||||||||
6:50 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | |
— | 8:32 | — | — | 8:31 | — | — | 8:30 | — | — | 8:29 | — | — | 8:28 | — | — | 8:25 | — | — | 8:24 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 21 | 20 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 |
Feels °C | 19 | 19 | 17 | 25 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 16 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | SSW 13 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | W 9 | SSW 14 |
6 | 12 | 11 | 700 | 422 | 232 | 361 | 306 | 212 | 228 | 172 | 142 | 89 | 67 | 34 | 57 | 17 | 29 | 15 | 13 | 18 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | S 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | W 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | SW 16 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | SSW 3 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 |
— | — | 5 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 13 | 11 | 38 | 13 | 12 | 4 | 55 | 65 | 10 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 18 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | SW 15 | SW 18 | SW 15 | SSW 16 | SW 14 | W 8 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | WNW 11 | SSW 4 | SSW 13 | — | NW 15 | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | 9 | 12 | 9 | 26 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 20 | 23 | 4 | 17 | — | 8 | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 8 | NW 8 | NNW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 |
517 | 617 | 771 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 541 | 785 | 1147 | 891 | 789 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 160 | 604 | 22 | 0 | 127 | 20 | 0 | 467 | 62 | 1 | 468 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 14 | 203 | 222 | 222 | 618 | 222 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Lisboa | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Portugal | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Praia das Macas Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Praia das Macas provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Praia das Macas can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Praia das Macas surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Praia das Macas) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Praia das Macas may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Praia das Macas is 9 km (6 miles) from Sintra. If you plan a holiday in Lisboa, look for hotels and other accommodation in Sintra. Sintra has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











