Surf Forecasts:
Praia das Macas surf forecast from 27 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 8s period, NNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 28 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 11s period, WNW swell with 1,176 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 3 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 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 Thursday (Sep 03) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 8s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Praia das Macas in the next 16 days are 2.2m 11s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 16s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (WEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 6ft (1.9m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 6ft (1.9m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Praia das Macas over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's get into it for Praia das Macas. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty average, with a lot of onshore wind and messy surf. The water temp is about what you'd expect for this time of year, nothing unusual. There's a decent window of potential, but it's going to take some patience to get a clean one.
We kick off the forecast period on Thursday, the 27th of August, with a fresh W cross-onshore breeze and rain showers. The swell is 7ft from the west with a short period of 7 seconds, and the combined energy is moderate at 525. It's lumpy and poor. Moving into Friday, the 28th, the wind drops to a light NW offshore in the morning, with a 7ft WNW swell and a longer 11-second period. The energy jumps to 1176, which is strong. The forecast says "marginal" due to tide, but that offshore wind is a major positive. Keep an eye on the morning session. The afternoon sees the wind swing cross-onshore and get choppy, so get out early.
The weekend from Saturday the 29th through Monday the 31st looks like a write-off. Consistent cross-onshore winds, dropping swell heights around 4ft to 6ft, and weak to moderate energy. The surf is poor. Tuesday and Wednesday, the 1st and 2nd of September, are no better, with strong onshore winds and lumpy, messy conditions. Swell is around 7ft, but it's all wind-affected.
Finally, a glimmer of hope. On Thursday morning, the 3rd of September, we get a glassy session. The wind is light from the ENE, the swell is 6ft from the NNW with an 8-second period, and the energy is moderate at 355. The forecast says "good surf conditions." This is your best bet for the early part of the forecast, but it's a short window. The afternoon goes back to choppy.
The next standout is a bit further out. On Saturday morning, the 5th of September, another glassy window opens up. The wind is light N, and the swell is smaller at 4ft, but it's a long-period groundswell from the NW at 13 seconds, with moderate energy of 492. Long-period groundswell like this can wrap in nicely here, and with glassy conditions, those waves will be clean. This is a promising, but still a week away, so keep an eye on the forecast.
The following week shows a few more marginal mornings, like Sunday the 6th and Monday the 7th of September, the latter with a glassy 3ft NW swell. Then by Tuesday the 8th, the swell kicks back up to 7ft, but the onshore winds return, making it messy. Wednesday the 9th and Thursday the 10th have some lighter winds but still cross-onshore, keeping the surf from being great.
Overall, the best waves are likely on the morning of Thursday the 3rd of September, with that glassy offshore wind and a solid 6ft swell. The long-period groundswell on Saturday the 5th of September is also worth a look if you can wait. The rest of the time, it's a battle against the wind.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 20°C on Wed night, min 18°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Thu morning, light winds from the W by Thu night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Sat night, min 18°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the N on Sun morning, strong winds from the N by Tue afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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 7 | W 8 | W 9 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | NW 10 | NW 9 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 9 | NNW 9 | NW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
520 | 531 | 792 | 1176 | 1170 | 869 | 461 | 286 | 187 | 182 | 424 | 354 | 206 | 460 | 273 | 637 | 513 | 566 | 508 | 441 | 471 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 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 | 6:17AM2.61m | 6:39PM2.56m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 12:22PM0.41m | 00:47AM0.49m | |||||||
7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | |
— | 8:15 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:13 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:09 | — | — | 8:08 | — | — | 8:07 | — | |
mm | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 25 |
Feels °C | 15 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | SW 11 | W 9 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | NW 10 | NW 9 | S 10 | — | NW 8 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 9 | SW 16 | NW 10 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 |
5 | 4 | 792 | 1176 | 1170 | 869 | 461 | 2 | — | 182 | 424 | 354 | 206 | 11 | 273 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 21 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NW 12 | NW 8 | S 11 | — | S 10 | S 10 | — | — | W 13 | — | — | SW 18 | S 11 | SW 16 | — | — | — | SSW 15 | — | — |
— | 6 | 15 | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | 4 | — | — | 12 | 2 | 10 | — | — | — | 23 | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SW 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 13 | — | — | S 11 | — | S 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 7 | W 8 | — | — | — | — | — | NW 8 | NW 8 | — | NNW 3 | — | NNW 4 | NNW 9 | NNW 6 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 |
520 | 531 | — | — | — | — | — | 286 | 187 | — | 7 | — | 22 | 460 | 132 | 637 | 513 | 566 | 508 | 441 | 471 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 425 | 259 | 14 | 14 | 21 | 14 | 14 | 420 | 14 | 14 | 420 | 14 | 21 | 420 | 21 | 222 | 222 | 30 | 16 | 22 | 20 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Lisboa | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Portugal | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











