Praia das Macas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. We’ve got a long stretch of nothing but cross-onshore winds and lumpy, messy surf. It’s the kind of forecast that makes you want to check the kite gear instead of the wax.

The first real window of opportunity doesn’t show up until Tuesday, August 18th. That’s a full week of onshore slop to get through. Before that, from Sunday the 9th right through to Monday the 17th, it’s all cross-on breezes, increasing in strength, and the swell, while it does build, is just going to be a chopped-up mess. The waves will be there, but they won’t be any fun. Early on, we’re looking at ankle-biters around 2ft to 4ft, but by the following weekend, the swell pushes up over 7ft, and with 25 mph winds, it’s going to be a full-on washing machine. That kind of size and wind is strictly for the experts, and even then, the quality will be poor. The wave energy is moderate at best during this stretch, but it rises to strong (761) by Sunday the 16th, though it’s all wasted on the wind.

Then, finally, things ease off. On Tuesday morning, August 18th, we get a break in the weather. The wind swings around to a light SSE cross-off, and the surf cleans right up. The swell drops to a cleaner 5ft, and that’s our standout window. This is the one to circle on the calendar. The water’s sitting at 68°F, which is right on the money for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The Tuesday morning session at Praia das Macas is the pick. It’s a consistent, exposed beach break, and with that cross-off breeze, it’ll be holding shape. The swell direction is NNW, which isn’t its absolute optimum, but the clean conditions will make up for it. This is a beginner-friendly spot, but with 5ft surf, it’s pushing past the ideal for learning. The energy is moderate (355), but the clean face makes it the best on offer. The lighter SSE wind on Wednesday and Thursday keeps things clean, but the swell fades fast, dropping to 3ft and then 2ft, so Tuesday is the day.

After that, it’s pretty much over. The swell fades out entirely by the end of the week, bottoming out around 1ft, and the onshore winds come back. The long-period swell that shows up on Saturday the 22nd is tiny and won’t do anything. There is a small pulse of NNW swell that shows up on Sunday the 23rd, but it’s short-period and wind-blown. And then, as we head into the final days, another bigger NNW swell (6ft to 7ft) builds for Monday the 24th, but the wind is back on it, making it a messy option.

So, keep your expectations low for the next week. The clean Tuesday morning is the only real highlight. Get on it if you can.

Rusty.

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