Praia das Macas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the next stretch.

First off, honest truth – this is a tough run. The whole 16-day window is pretty much a write-off at Praia das Macas. The swell energy never really gets going, and the wind is almost always working against us. The highest energy we see is 454 on the 31st of August, and even that comes with a fresh cross-onshore breeze and lumpy conditions. It’s no good. You’ll see a lot of moderate and fresh breezes from the north, blowing straight on or cross-on, making a mess of what little swell there is.

Water temp is sitting around 68° which is about normal for the time of year – nothing unusual there.

The first few days of September are particularly grim. The wind is strong and the wave heights are small, with the swell period dropping as low as 7 seconds on the 3rd and 4th – that’s just weak, wind-driven chop. By the 5th, there’s a brief moment of clean conditions on Saturday morning with a NE cross-off breeze at 12 mph, but the swell is only 3 ft from the WNW with 9-second period, and the energy is low (116). It’s a tease more than anything.

From the 6th onward, it’s more of the same – mostly cross-onshore winds, lumpy and choppy, with swell heights barely hitting 5 ft and periods that hover around 7 to 11 seconds. The energy gets up to 462 on the 7th afternoon, but it’s still fresh cross-onshore and lumpy. Not worth paddling out.

The only glimmer comes at the very end – the morning of Sunday, 13th September. There’s a light 3 mph SW wind, cross-on, and the water is clean with small ripples. Swell is 3 ft from the west at 9 seconds, energy at 250. It’s still marginal, and the tide might be a factor, but it’s the closest to a surfable moment in the whole outlook. Even then, it’s a stretch.

For a break that’s consistent and exposed to the NW, this is a rough run. The wind is the main culprit – it’s nearly always onshore or cross-on, and there’s never a solid window of clean, rideable waves. If you’re a kite surfer, the setup might be more interesting on some of those stronger wind days, honestly.

Stick with it – forecasts can change, but right now, there’s nothing to get excited about.

Stay patient,
Rusty.

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