Praia das Macas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, bringing you the outlook for Praia das Macas.

Looking at the next 16 days, the honest truth is that we’re staring down a pretty grim stretch of surf for this spot. For the vast majority of the period, the conditions are just plain poor—choppy, lumpy, and messy with cross-onshore winds dominating. The swell energy stays weak to moderate up until the final few days, but even then, the wind and wave quality aren’t lining up. The water temperature sits at 66°, which is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual.

For a break like Praia das Macas, a beginner-friendly spot that’s exposed to the NW, this kind of run is frustrating. The consistent break means it usually has something, but for over two weeks, we’re looking at poor surf conditions with scores of 0 out of 10 on most days.

The pattern goes like this: from Wednesday the 15th through Saturday the 26th, it’s all weak swell—1 ft to 4 ft—with short periods (4 to 9 seconds) and messy wind. The combined swell energy stays mostly under 100, with only a few afternoons bumping up to moderate levels like 128 or 150. But those pulses still come with cross-on winds and choppy faces. There are a couple of moments on Wednesday the 22nd and Monday the 20th where the energy climbs a bit (up to 191 and 128), but the wind kills it.

Then from Sunday the 27th through Wednesday the 29th, we see stronger swell pushing up to 6 ft, with energy readings hitting 426 and 577—strong to very strong energy. But the wind is still cross-on and the surf conditions are labeled poor, so it’s not going to be clean. For beginners, once the swell tops 5 ft, it can get a little too much.

Now, here’s the one bright spot: Thursday the 30th. In the morning, we get a light offshore wind from the SE, 10 km/h (6 mph), and a solid 7 ft swell from the NNW with an 8-second period. The combined energy is 546, and the report says “expect very good surf conditions.” This is clean, glassy, offshore wind—a rare treat. But heads up, the swell is 7 ft, which is very solid, so this is for experienced surfers who know how to handle a beach break at this size. The afternoon turns back to onshore and questionable conditions, so the window is tight.

Bottom line: the first 15 days are a write-off for surf. There’s no secondary spot, no other options. But that Thursday the 30th, if the wind holds, could be a proper session for the crew who can handle it. The long gaps of poor surf are rough, but forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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