Praia das Macas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is a long, long stretch for Praia das Macas. Most of the action is going to be about waiting for the wind to drop.

Overall Pattern

Look, I’m not gonna lie to you – the first week and a half is a grind. The wind is mostly from the north, blowing cross-on or onshore, and it just wrecks the surface. We get some pulses of swell, but the combo of that north wind and the swell coming from the NNW means the ocean’s a mess. You’ll be fighting chop and lumpy conditions. The water is sitting at 66.4°F, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year – you’ll feel that first sting on your feet.

Thursday 10th to Saturday 12th September
Thursday afternoon kicks off with a 5.9ft swell from the NNW, period 11 seconds – there’s some good energy behind it (729). But with a 22 mph cross-on wind, it’s just a washing machine. No good. Friday and Saturday are even smaller, period dropping, and that north wind just won’t let up. Forget it.

Sunday 13th September – First Real Window
Finally, a change. Sunday morning sees the wind swing to the southeast, 6 mph, blowing cross-off. That’s clean. The swell is only 2.6ft from the NW, but the period jumps to a very long 13 seconds (366). This is a proper groundswell. It won’t be big, but those waves will have shape and push. For a beginner-friendly spot like this, that’s your best chance for a fun, grovelly session. It’ll be lumpy again by the afternoon.

Monday 14th September
Monday morning is a carbon copy of Sunday morning – light SSE cross-off wind, 3.3ft NW swell at 11 seconds. Clean again. The energy is moderate (274). Good for a longboard or a foamie. That afternoon the wind turns onshore from the WNW, so get your session in early.

Tuesday 15th to Wednesday 16th September – The Grind Returns
Wind cranks back up from the north, 16 to 28 mph. Wednesday morning sees a solid 7.9ft swell from the NNW, period 8 seconds, with 890 energy – there’s plenty of water moving. But with a 28 mph cross-on wind, it’s just dangerous and messy. At that size with that wind, this is more of a kite surfing setup than a paddle surfing one. Leave it.

Thursday 17th to Saturday 19th September – Choppy and Cross
Swell hangs around between 4.6ft and 6.6ft, but it’s all cross-shore wind from the north. Periods of 9-11 seconds. There are moments where the wind is just cross-shore (not cross-on), so the wave face might be smoother, but the surface will still have a chop. Marginal at best. The energy stays moderate to strong (up to 1012 on Thursday morning), but the quality is just not there.

Sunday 20th September – Glassy Dawn Patrol
Okay, this is a stand-out moment. Sunday morning: the wind drops to glass – ENE at just 3 mph. The swell is 4.6ft from the NNW, period 8 seconds (499 energy). It says “glassy”. That is a rare and beautiful thing for this run. The sets won’t be super long period, but the surface will be like a mirror. Get on it early before the wind swings west and onshore that afternoon.

Monday 21st September – The Pick of the Window
This is the one to circle. Monday morning: light SSE wind, cross-off, 6 mph. Swell is 5.2ft from the NW with a very long period of 13 seconds (772). That’s real groundswell energy. The break is exposed to the NW, and the optimum swell direction is NW – this is a perfect match. The forecast is “very good surf conditions.” The water will be clean, the waves will have power and shape. This is your best shot for a proper session on a decent wave.

Tuesday 22nd September
Another glassy dawn on Tuesday – E wind at 3 mph. Swell drops to 3.3ft from the NW, period 11 seconds (242). Clean again, smaller, but fun on the right board.

Wednesday 23rd September – Another Dawn Standout
Wednesday morning is glassy again with a 4.6ft NW swell, period 13 seconds (780). That’s a long, clean, powerful wave. Another “very good” call. This is a long-range call (over a week away), so it’s promising but not locked in just yet. Still, get that alarm set.

Thursday 24th to Friday 25th September – Closing Out
The last days get a bit messy. Thursday is cross-on and cloudy. Friday the 25th brings a solid 6.9ft to 7.2ft NW swell with strong energy (1260 to 1365), but it’s cross-on from the north again. At that size and with a moderate breeze, it’ll be lumpy and hard to manage. Not recommended for anyone but the hardy lot on big boards.

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