Praia das Macas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on offer at Praia das Macas over the next couple of weeks.

To be honest, the first week is a tough one to call. The forecast shows swell building through the period, but the wind is a real problem. We’ve got a stretch from Wednesday the 2nd right through to Friday the 11th where the wind is howling out of the north and north-northwest, which is a nasty cross or cross-onshore for this spot. The wave energy is there, with moderate to strong combined energy readings, but the onshore breeze is just going to chop it all up. The water temp is sitting at 68°F, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

There is a real glimmer of hope, though. The standout on the entire forecast is the morning of Saturday the 12th of September. That’s the one to circle. The wind is forecast to swing around to the ESE at a glassy 3 mph, and the swell is a solid 6 ft out of the NNW, with a good amount of energy behind it. That’s a proper clean window. The swell period is 8 seconds, so it’s a short-period wind swell, but with that offshore wind, it’ll be holding up nicely. The break is a consistent beginner-friendly spot, so it’ll be a good one for a wide range of crew. Just keep in mind the crowds here can be an issue, so get there early if you want a piece of it.

The afternoon of the 12th sees the wind shift to a cross-shore, and the swell drops a little, so it’s not the same quality.

After that, Sunday the 13th and Monday the 14th mornings both offer glassy conditions again, but the swell is much smaller—2 ft and 3 ft respectively. The 14th does have a nice 11-second period from the WNW, so there’s a bit more push there, but it’s still a knee-to-waist high affair. Decent for a log, but not a standout.

The rest of the second week, from the 15th onwards, the wind turns messy again with cross-onshore conditions and dropping swell. Not worth getting excited about.

So, the long and short of it: you’ve got a long wait for that clean window on the 12th. The first week is a write-off with the wind. If you’re patient, the morning of the 12th is your best shot for some clean, fun waves at Praia das Macas.

Rusty.

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