Praia das Macas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a proper look at what the next couple of weeks have in store for us at Praia das Macas. I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch. The whole 16-day window is one long, frustrating gap with almost no surf worth paddling out for. We’re looking at day after day of "poor surf conditions" with cross-onshore winds messing things up. The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t show up until way down the line, on Wednesday, August 19th.

The water is sitting at 67°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year – about a degree and a half off the long-term average. Not a massive shock, but you’ll want a decent wetsuit.

For the entire first week and a half, from Tuesday, August 4th right through to Tuesday, August 18th, it’s a write-off. We’ve got small, weak swell (combined energy mostly under 300, often under 150) and the wind is almost always a fresh cross-onshore breeze from the NNW, chopping everything up. On the 6th and 7th, the swell bumps up to about 6ft, but it’s short-period stuff at 7-8 seconds and the wind is still a problem. It’s lumpy, messy, and not worth your time. Even on the 15th and 16th when the swell hits 8ft (combined energy up to 928), that cross-onshore wind just kills it. That size with that wind makes it more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session – too big and blown out for a beginner-friendly beach like this.

Now, the one and only standout: Wednesday morning, August 19th. This is the one to circle on the calendar. The wind goes glassy – completely off – and we’ve got a solid 6ft swell from the NW with a 10-second period. Combined energy is a strong 661, so there’s real push behind it. The direction is a decent match for the break’s optimum (NW). For a beach break, that 10-second period is a nice balance – plenty of power without the weird straight lines you get from longer groundswell. This is the best on offer by a long shot. It’s still a beginner-friendly spot, so keep in mind that 6ft is pushing it for total newcomers. And since crowds are marked as "sometimes", expect company if the conditions are as good as they look. The afternoon sees the wind shift onshore again, so make the most of that morning window.

So there you have it. A whole lot of nothing, then one golden morning on August 19th. Lock it in.

Rusty.

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