Praia das Macas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, mates, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on the menu for our local stretch at Praia das Macas.

Right off the bat, this forecast is a bit of a slow burner. The first few days are a write-off—nothing but choppy, cross-onshore wind and poor surf. We’re talking from Tuesday the 11th right through to Saturday the 15th of August, with weak, messy conditions. The swell energy is weak to moderate early on (around 114 to 312), and the wind just won’t play nice. It’s not worth paddling out. The water temp is sitting at 71°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Sunday morning, the 16th of August. For a few hours, the wind drops to absolutely glassy, and we’ve got a solid 8 ft swell rolling in from the NNW with a period of 9 seconds. The energy is pumping at 1079, so there’s plenty of power. This is excellent surf, but let’s be real—at 8 ft, it’s one for the experienced crew only. Beginners, sit this one out. The catch is it’s a short window, and the afternoon goes marginal.

Now, the standout of the whole outlook—and I mean the real jewel—is Monday morning, the 17th of August. We’ve got clean conditions with a light offshore breeze from the east at just 3 mph, and a 7 ft NNW swell packing 750 units of energy. That’s a beautiful combo. The swell’s not too big, the wind’s offshore, and the break should be clean and well-shaped. This is your session. The only downside is the afternoon turns onshore again, so get it early.

After that, things get messy again. Tuesday the 18th has a clean morning but the wind shifts, and by Wednesday the 19th we’re back to cross-on slop. The swell stays big through the 20th and 21st, hitting 10 ft with energy over 1600, but the wind is all wrong—fresh to strong breezes from the NNW just ruin the surface. Honestly, for those days, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, unless you’re a total charger.

The second week is a mixed bag of lumpy, windy, and messy. There’s a moment on the 24th and 25th with some cross-shore wind and moderate swells, but it’s never clean enough to get excited about. The swell direction is stubbornly NNW, and the wind just won’t let up.

So, bottom line: your best bet is Monday morning, the 17th of August. Get on it early, before the wind turns. Sunday morning is a close second if you’re experienced and want glassy conditions with a bit more size. After that, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty, signing off.

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