Praia das Macas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for Praia das Macas. Right off the bat, I gotta say the first few days are the only real window for a surf here, and even then, it's a pretty narrow one.

The overall pattern shows the biggest opportunity hits first thing Monday morning, the 17th of August. We’ve got a clean 6ft swell rolling in from the NNW with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is a moderate 364. The wind is glassy out of the SE, which is offshore for this spot. That's the recipe for the cleanest waves of the whole stretch. The water temp is sitting at 68°, which is about average for this time of year and feels fine. This is the standout, hands down. The waves will be manageable for the beginner crowd this break is known for, but keep in mind that crowds are sometimes an issue here, so get out early.

Shifting to Tuesday morning, the 18th, the swell holds at 5ft from the NNW, but the wind swings to a cross-offshore from the S. It's still clean, but not as perfect as Monday morning. The energy stays moderate (301). After that, things fall apart quickly. From Tuesday afternoon all the way through to the 28th of August, the wind turns onshore or cross-onshore nearly every session, chopping up what surf there is. The swell fluctuates between 2ft and 7ft, but with that nasty wind, it’s all blown out and messy.

There’s a long stretch of nothing worth paddling out for. Late in the window, on Saturday the 29th of August, a much bigger, long-period groundswell tries to push through. The morning shows a 8ft swell from the NW with a 10-second period, and the combined energy jumps to a very strong 2260. But the wind is cross-shore from the N at 16 mph, and it’s only rated as marginal. That's a big, powerful swell, over 8ft, and with that onshore wind, this is strictly for the experts and even then you’ll be fighting a cross-chop. The afternoon gets even bigger, with a 10ft swell and a 14-second period, energy through the roof at 3892, but the wind is up to 22 mph from the north and onshore. For paddle surfing, this setup looks more interesting for the kite surfers than anyone on a shortboard.

So to wrap it up, your best bet is Monday morning (17th of August) for the glassy, clean conditions. After that, it’s a long run of poor surf until the end of the month, when it gets too big and windy for most. Forecasts can change, but as it stands, aim for that Monday session.

Rusty.

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