Praia das Macas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, but in feet and miles per hour. Let’s break down what’s going on at Praia das Macas. Honestly, it’s a slow start with a long stretch of poor conditions, so don’t get too excited just yet.

This spot is wide open to NW swell, but the wind is the problem. For days on end, we’ve got cross-onshore and onshore winds, making it choppy and lumpy. The swell is tiny – mostly around 2 to 3 feet – with short periods, so there’s no power or shape. The combined wave energy is weak, sitting in the 39 to 99 range most of the time. Water temps are around 67°, which is pretty average for this time of year.

From July 7th right up through July 19th, it’s a total bust. Every session is marked as poor. The wind is coming out of the north-northwest, and it’s almost never clean. Even the lighter wind mornings still have a cross-onshore chop. A couple of afternoons the wind goes straight onshore, but it’s still messy. If you really need to get in the water, go ahead, but the waves won’t be doing you any favors.

Around July 20th, things start to change. The swell picks up, with heights hitting 4 feet in the morning, and the combined energy goes into the moderate range (150 to 440). But again, the wind stays cross-onshore or onshore, and the period is short, so it’s still going to be a bit of a mess.

The one window that’s worth noting is July 22nd. In the morning, we’ve got a 8 foot swell from the NNW, period of 8 seconds, and the wind finally shifts to a cross-offshore from the SSE at 12 mph. That’s clean, and the combined energy is a solid 782. The afternoon keeps the 8 foot swell with even higher energy (915), but the wind picks up to a fresh 19 mph from the south, still cross-off. This is the best we’ll get. But watch out – 8 foot surf is for experts only, and with short period it’ll be heavy and steep, not a long gliding groundswell. Expect company too, because this break can get crowded.

So, bottom line: there’s a long stretch of nothing until July 19th. The 20th and 21st have bigger swell but messy wind. The real standout is July 22nd – cleaner winds and solid size, but it’s only for experienced surfers. It’s over a week away, so take it as promising but not guaranteed.

Rusty.

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