Praia das Macas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – the outlook for the next couple of weeks is a tough one. We're looking at a long stretch of poor conditions. There's a gap of about 14 days with no real recommendations, so don't be holding your breath for any good waves. It's one of those runs where the forecast can change, but for now, we're in a dry spell.

Let's start with the only spot on the menu: Praia das Macas. It's a consistent, exposed beginner-friendly beach break, so when it's on, it's fun. But it's not on right now. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual there.

Kicking off on Tuesday the 28th of July, we've got a small NNW swell around 4ft, but with a 9 mph cross-onshore wind from the NNW, it's choppy and messy. The wave energy is weak (353) and the period is a middling 10 seconds. Nothing to write home about.

Wednesday the 29th is smaller, dropping to 3ft, with a similar story – cross-onshore winds, poor surf. The energy drops to 161. It's a no-go.

Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st see the swell drop further, getting down to 2ft to 3ft. The winds are still cross or cross-onshore, keeping things choppy and the energy low (as low as 63). The period drops to a short 6 seconds on Friday, which is just weak, wind-driven slop.

The first weekend of August is more of the same. Saturday the 1st has a 3ft NNW swell, but still cross-shore winds and a messy cross-chop. Sunday the 2nd is tiny at 2ft. The energy is moderate but the quality is zip.

Through the whole first week of August, we're stuck with a persistent NNW wind pattern. The swell is small, 2ft to 3ft, and the wind is always on it. The period improves to 9-11 seconds from the 4th, suggesting a bit of groundswell, but with the wind direction, it's just not going to shape up. The energy is moderate (in the 100-160 range), but it's all wasted.

By the second week, things get a bit more energetic but not better. From the 7th of August, the wind picks up – fresh to strong breezes (19-25 mph). The swell tries to build from the 11th of August, hitting 5ft to 5ft from the WNW, and the energy jumps to a strong 401-453. The period is 10 seconds, which is solid. But the wind is a constant cross-onshore, making it a lumpy, messy, and frankly, dangerous-looking mess. At 5ft with those winds, it's a beginner’s nightmare and only for the hardcore. For a beach break, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

In short, we've got a long, blank run ahead. Don't waste your time. The swell is there, but the wind is the enemy. Keep your eyes on the forecast, because it can't stay this poor forever.

Rusty

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