Praia das Macas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your coffee, let’s talk about what’s happening at Praia das Macas. We’ve got a long stretch ahead, and honestly, it’s a bit of a rough road before any real hope shows up. The water’s sitting at about 68°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year – nothing wild there.

Right now, and for well over a week, it’s a tough watch. We’ve got a solid amount of swell rolling in from the 28th of August right through to early September, with combined energy numbers jumping around from 1080 up to over 1200 at times – that’s serious power. But the problem is the wind. It’s almost constantly cross-onshore, howling from the north at 12 to 22 mph, turning everything into a lumpy, choppy mess. The swell is coming from the WNW and NW, with periods mostly between 8 and 11 seconds, so there’s some push, but the surface is just wrecked. Those mornings and afterdays all read as poor surf conditions, and the scores are flat zeros. This isn’t a spot for a paddle-out unless you enjoy getting hammered by chop. Honestly, with that much wind and a beach setup, this looks way more interesting for kite surfing than a traditional surf session.

There’s a slight flicker around the 6th of September, Sunday morning. Swell drops back a bit to 4 ft from the NW, but the period lengthens to 11 seconds, giving it some better shape. Combined energy is still at 448, moderate, and the wind backs off to 9 mph from the north, just a gentle cross-shore. The call is "marginal," but it's the first real chance where the ocean might not be totally ugly. Still not a standout, just a breath of air.

The real moment to circle on your calendar is the 9th of September, Wednesday morning. We’re looking at a 10 ft swell from the NNW, but hold on – that’s too big for this break, especially for beginners. The period is only 8 seconds, so it’s a short-interval wall of water, and combined energy is a massive 1039, strong to very strong. The wind is light from the north, only 9 mph, so it’s not messy, but the forecast says it’s simply too big. This is expert territory only, and even then, it might be a washing machine. Definitely not one for the learner crew.

Following that, the 10th of September, Thursday morning, still holds a solid 8 ft swell from the NNW, but the period stays short at 9 seconds, and the wind is light cross-onshore from the north at 6 mph. The combined energy jumps up to 1275, very strong, but the call is still "marginal" – you’d want to check the tides very carefully. It’s the closest thing to a highlight, but with the short period and hefty size, it’s a raw, powerful day, not a clean, easy one.

Past that, into the 11th and 12th of September, the swell fades down to 4-5 ft, the period drops to 7 seconds, and the wind stays messy or shifts onshore from the WSW. The energy drops into the 200s and 300s, weak to moderate, and the conditions never really clean up. Overall, this is a rough 16-day window. The only whisper of something decent is that Thursday the 10th, but it’s a big, tricky swell with onshore vibes. For a true standout? Not really. It’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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