Praia das Macas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a mixed bag for the next couple of weeks at Praia das Macas, with a run of poor conditions before a couple of windows that might get the heart rate up.

Right now, there’s nothing doing. The first proper surf we can talk about doesn’t show up until Saturday the 22nd of August, and even then it’s a tough call. That morning, we’ve got a 4ft swell from the NNW, with a period of 10 seconds, creating a moderate 385 units of combined energy. The wind is light and offshore from the WNW, so the surface could be clean, but the overall wave quality is rated as marginal. It’s one to keep an eye on but not a standout.

The real downer is the stretch from Saturday afternoon all the way through to the end of the month. The wind goes onshore or cross-shore, and the conditions just get messy. Sunday the 23rd brings a bigger 6ft to 6ft swell from the W, but with a strong 25 mph southerly wind, it’s a write-off. Monday the 24th sees a powerful 8ft WSW swell, but it’s accompanied by a short, weak period of 8 seconds and strong cross-shore winds making it a total mess. This one is too big and blown out for beginners, and honestly, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

There’s a tiny glimmer on Tuesday morning, the 25th. The swell drops to 4ft from the WNW, period is a weak 7 seconds, but the wind goes glassy. The energy is low (170 units), but if you’re desperate for a paddle, it’ll be the cleanest the water gets all week. Don’t expect much push.

The whole first week is a write-off, with strong, lumpy, onshore winds dominating. The water temperature is 69°F, which is pretty much average for the time of year, so no need to worry about a wetsuit just yet.

Now, let’s talk about the only real standout in this entire 16-day window. It’s Friday, the 28th of August. That morning, we’ll see a solid 8ft swell from the NW, with a nice long period of 11 seconds. This is proper groundswell, and the combined energy jumps to a strong 1256 units. The wind is from the N at 12 mph, which is cross-shore, creating a cross-chop, but it’s the best combination of size and power we see. This swell is in the expert zone, being over 8ft, so it’s not for the faint of heart. The long period means it’ll hold up well, but at a beach break like this, the sets might be a bit straight. If you’re an experienced surfer, this is your window.

After that, the outlook goes quiet again. The rest of the month and into September is a frustrating mix of small, weak swell and persistent onshore winds from the north. The swell energy stays in the low to moderate range, and the conditions are consistently described as poor. By the time we get to September 6th, there’s another pulse of 6ft to 7ft from the NW with a 9-second period, but the wind is howling at 25 mph onshore.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a washout. The only real hope is the morning of Friday, August 28th, for the experienced crew. The rest of the forecast is a long, frustrating gap of poor conditions. Keep an eye on the charts, because it tends not to stay this bad forever.

Rusty.

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