Surf Forecasts:
Praia das Macas surf forecast from 26 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Friday 28 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 11s period, WNW swell with 1,313 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Praia das Macas this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Praia das Macas in the next 16 days are 2.4m 11s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 2s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 29) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (WEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Fri 28th Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Praia das Macas over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s happening at Praia das Macas over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – it’s a tough stretch. The water is sitting at 68°F, which is a touch cooler than usual for this time of year, but nothing too crazy. The real problem is the wind. We’ve got a solid run of onshore and cross-onshore winds from the west and north that are just chopping things up. The swell energy is weak to moderate during this period, ranging from 217 to 1313, but that doesn’t matter much when the wind is ruining the surface.
The only window that even looks remotely worth a paddle is the morning of Friday, August 28th. We’ve got a 7ft swell from the WNW, with a longer period of 11 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell with some shape to it. The wind is light, almost glassy from the WNW at just 3 mph, so the surface should be clean. The combined energy is strong at 1134, so there’s some punch. This is a standout for the whole forecast, but it’s short-lived – by the afternoon the wind swings cross-onshore and it’s game over.
After that, it’s a long, bleak run. From Saturday the 29th through to Monday the 7th of September, every session is plagued by moderate to strong cross-onshore winds from the north and NNW, with swell mostly in the 3ft to 7ft range but period dropping to 8-9 seconds. The energy levels hang around the 200 to 600 range – weak to moderate – but with the wind on it, it’s just messy. There’s a glimmer on the 5th, 6th, and 7th of September mornings when the wind drops to glassy, but the swell is tiny – 2ft to 3ft – and the energy is weak (143 to 194). You could get a fun little wave if you’re desperate, but it’s not worth getting excited about.
Then, on the 10th of September – Thursday morning – we see a big jump in swell: 12ft from the NNW, with a moderate period of 10 seconds and a massive energy reading of 2274. That is a lot of water moving. But the wind is still a fresh cross-onshore at 22 mph, so it’s going to be a lumpy, choppy mess. For experts only, and even then, it’s more about the raw power than any sort of quality. Not really a surfable day for most.
So, bottom line: the only real shot you’ve got over the next 16 days is the morning of Friday, August 28th. Get it while it’s clean. After that, you’re waiting almost two weeks for a window that never really opens.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 21°C on Wed afternoon, min 18°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Thu morning, light winds from the WNW by Fri morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Sun morning, min 17°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (light winds from the N on Sat night, strong winds from the N by Mon afternoon). | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | ||||||||||||||
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) | W 6 | W 8 | W 7 | W 8 | WNW 10 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | NW 10 | NW 9 | NW 9 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 11 | NW 9 | NW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
212 | 341 | 521 | 551 | 825 | 1134 | 1313 | 869 | 471 | 326 | 125 | 211 | 399 | 281 | 203 | 572 | 741 | 691 | 488 | 476 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 2:55AM2.53m | 3:07PM2.82m | 3:27AM2.65m | 3:38PM2.93m | 3:58AM2.73m | 4:10PM2.98m | 4:29AM2.78m | 4:42PM2.96m | 5:02AM2.77m | 5:17PM2.89m | 5:38AM2.72m | 5:55PM2.75m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:49PM0.37m | 8:53AM0.37m | 9:20PM0.23m | 9:25AM0.25m | 9:51PM0.13m | 9:56AM0.18m | 10:21PM0.08m | 10:29AM0.15m | 10:53PM0.10m | 11:03AM0.19m | 11:27PM0.17m | 11:40AM0.27m | 00:04AM0.31m | |||||||
— | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | |
8:17 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:13 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:09 | — | — | 8:08 | — | |
mm | — | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
Feels °C | 18 | 18 | 14 | 16 | 19 | 21 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 20 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | W 8 | SW 11 | SW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | NW 10 | NW 9 | S 10 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 11 | NW 9 | NW 9 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 |
5 | 341 | 5 | 4 | 825 | 1134 | 1313 | 869 | 471 | 2 | 125 | 211 | 399 | 281 | 203 | 11 | 10 | 23 | 22 | 21 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SW 11 | — | NW 12 | S 11 | S 11 | — | — | S 10 | — | — | W 13 | — | — | SW 18 | S 11 | — | — | — | — |
— | 5 | — | 6 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 2 | — | — | 4 | — | — | 12 | 2 | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 11 | S 11 | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | — | W 7 | W 8 | — | — | — | — | NNE 2 | NW 9 | NNW 4 | — | NNW 4 | NNW 5 | NNW 5 | NNW 9 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 |
212 | — | 521 | 551 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 326 | 30 | — | 12 | 39 | 74 | 572 | 741 | 691 | 488 | 476 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 425 | 62 | 320 | 206 | 14 | 8 | 21 | 14 | 14 | 420 | 14 | 14 | 338 | 21 | 222 | 222 | 115 | 155 | 222 | 109 |
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.











