Praia do Frances Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty. Let me tell you about the next couple of weeks at the coast. We've got a tough run ahead, no two ways about it. The pattern is pretty bleak right through the 16-day window with only a couple of whispers of real swell, and even then, conditions are going to be less than ideal.

The whole period starts like a dead loss. From Wednesday the 5th of August all the way through to Tuesday the 11th, the story is the same: messy onshore wind and poor surf quality. We're looking at small, short-period SE swell in the 3 ft to 4 ft range, with combined wave energy reading only between 133 and 390—weak to moderate at best. The wind is either cross-on or directly onshore, never let up, so expect choppy, bumpy lines.

Now, after that first soggy week, there’s a small window of hope. The one spot showing any pulse is Praia do Frances. By Wednesday the 12th of August, the afternoon sees a significant jump in energy, with a combined energy rating of 1121—that's strong wave energy, really punching in. It'll be a long-period SSE groundswell at 4 ft and 14 seconds. This kind of long-period swell (more than 11 seconds) means better shaped waves, more push, and longer gaps between sets. The wind is a gentle cross-onshore breeze at 9 mph, so it won't be glassy clean, but it won't be a total mess either. The water temp is sitting at 80°, and that's only 1° warmer than average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

Thursday 13th is a step back, energy drops to 274 and the size is back down. Friday 14th and Saturday 15th have that long-period S swell hanging around, but the wind is cross-on, keeping it scrappy.

The next real standout, and honestly the best shot on offer, is Monday the 17th of August. The swell builds again, with a combined energy of 1179 on the morning and 1027 on the afternoon. That’s strong, punchy energy. Expect SSE swell at 5 ft and a very long period of 15 seconds—a true groundswell. For a beach-and-reef break, a period that long can cause the waves to break a bit straight and fat, so it won't be perfect, but the power will be there for confident surfers. The wind, however, is onshore from the SE at 16 mph. That's a stiff moderation. The surf quality will be poor, choppy, and blown out for paddling.

The rest of the 18th, 19th, and 20th of August fades back into that familiar pattern of weak, cross-onshore swell with combined energy between 200 and 348. Nothing to get excited about.

Overall, there’s no truly clean, all-time session in this forecast. The only pulse of real swell is on the 12th and 17th, but they're both compromised by wind. For a beginner, the 4 ft to 5 ft swell is at the top limit, and with that wind, it's a no-go. For experts, there is raw energy there, particularly on the 17th, but expect a rough paddle and sloppy faces. If the wind swings lighter or offshore, this would be a different story. For now, if you've got a kite, the 17th afternoon at Praia do Frances might be more fun than a surfboard.

Rusty

Read more