
Surf Forecasts:
Praia das Macas surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 21 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 8s period, NNW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 8s period, NW swell with 634 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 21 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 8s period with NNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Praia das Macas this week:
The surf forecast for Praia das Macas over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Praia das Macas in the next 16 days are 2.2m 8s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.1m 11s period and expected on Friday (Jul 24) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (WEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 10AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 7ft (2.2m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Praia das Macas over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, let's get into it. This is Rusty, and I'm looking at the charts for the next couple of weeks for Praia das Macas.
Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – the first week is a tough one to love. The forecast is a bit of a grind. We’re looking at a long stretch of small, choppy, and wind-affected waves. The swell direction is mostly out of the NNW to NW, which is okay, but the wind is just not playing ball. It’s onshore or cross-onshore for nearly every session. The first real glimmer of hope doesn't come until Tuesday, the 28th of July.
The water temp is sitting at about 69°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so the wetsuit is what you’d expect.
Tuesday morning, the 28th, is the standout. The wind swings around to a light S at 6 mph, which is a clean cross-offshore breeze. The swell is still a solid 6 ft from the NNW, but that period bumps up to 9 seconds and the combined energy is a solid 578 (moderate wave energy). The forecast actually says "expect very good surf conditions" for that morning session. This is the one. The swell is on the bigger side, so it’s not for beginners, but for the experienced crew, that’s the window to get some clean, lined-up waves before the wind goes cross-on in the afternoon.
The Wednesday morning, 29th of July, offers a bit of a leftover with a 4 ft swell from the same NNW direction. The wind is light SSW at 6 mph, creating a cross-shore breeze. It’s a marginal call, but it might be a quieter option if the crowd is an issue.
After that, the surf drops off again. It gets small and messy, with a period of very weak energy and onshore winds. There’s a pulse of swell on the 4th of August, with a 7 ft NNW swell, but the wind is a strong 25 mph onshore. That’s going to be a mess – more of a kite-surfing scenario than a paddle-surfing one. It’s a long way out, and the confidence is low, but it’s worth keeping an eye on.
To sum it up: the first week is a write-off. Your best bet is Tuesday morning, the 28th of July. That’s the session to circle on the calendar. The rest is a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Tue morning, min 18°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Thu afternoon, min 18°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNW on Thu night, strong winds from the N by Sat night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 7 | NW 7 | NW 6 | NNW 7 | NW 6 | N 7 | WNW 5 | NW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
147 | 86 | 123 | 112 | 51 | 37 | 54 | 39 | 16 | 49 | 24 | 25 | 73 | 65 | 137 | 345 | 634 | 379 | 295 | 328 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 8:01PM2.46m | 8:33AM2.24m | 8:55PM2.23m | 9:31AM2.13m | 10:00PM2.06m | 10:39AM2.08m | 11:15PM1.99m | 11:50AM2.10m | 00:25AM2.02m | 12:51PM2.20m | 1:22AM2.12m | 1:41PM2.33m | 2:07AM2.24m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:16AM0.64m | 2:34PM0.79m | 3:08AM0.82m | 3:40PM0.93m | 4:12AM0.95m | 4:57PM0.99m | 5:24AM0.99m | 6:12PM0.94m | 6:30AM0.94m | 7:12PM0.84m | 7:23AM0.83m | 7:59PM0.70m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | |
8:59 | — | — | 8:58 | — | — | 8:58 | — | — | 8:57 | — | — | 8:55 | — | — | 8:54 | — | — | 8:54 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 |
Feels °C | 19 | 18 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 12 | NNW 7 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 7 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | NNW 7 | WNW 9 | N 7 | NNW 6 | S 11 | NNW 7 | N 7 | S 16 | S 11 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | NW 12 |
14 | 86 | 123 | 112 | 51 | 37 | 31 | 28 | 15 | 16 | 24 | 14 | 2 | 17 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 16 | 22 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | W 5 | WNW 10 | NNW 9 | N 10 | WNW 9 | N 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | — | WNW 8 | W 11 | S 16 | — | NW 14 | NW 13 | — |
10 | 24 | 22 | 35 | 14 | 32 | 17 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 15 | 13 | — | 7 | 2 | 5 | — | 8 | 7 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | W 7 | W 7 | SW 14 | WNW 10 | W 5 | SW 13 | SW 13 | N 9 | SW 12 | SW 12 | S 11 | — | S 12 | S 12 | — | — | — | S 15 | — |
2 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 33 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 2 | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | 4 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 7 | WNW 4 | — | W 5 | WNW 5 | — | NW 7 | NW 6 | WNW 5 | NW 6 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | NW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 |
147 | 10 | — | 14 | 15 | — | 54 | 39 | 14 | 49 | 17 | 25 | 73 | 65 | 137 | 345 | 634 | 379 | 295 | 328 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 379 | 16 | 0 | 62 | 16 | 16 | 489 | 504 | 20 | 463 | 480 | 911 | 491 | 420 | 292 | 420 | 222 | 222 | 449 | 213 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Lisboa | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Portugal | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Praia das Macas Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Praia das Macas provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Praia das Macas can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Praia das Macas surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Praia das Macas) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Praia das Macas may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Praia das Macas is 9 km (6 miles) from Sintra. If you plan a holiday in Lisboa, look for hotels and other accommodation in Sintra. Sintra has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










