Praia do Porto Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your board and let’s talk about what’s happening. The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag around here, with a slow start and then a proper pulse of southwest groundswell that’s worth getting excited about. We’ve got a serious run of size and power on the way, but it’s not going to be for everyone. Let’s break it down day by day.

First up, the water is sitting at 67°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. Not a huge deal, but a little extra warmth is always welcome.

The next few days are pretty underwhelming. Through the 3rd and 4th, we’re looking at small, short-period windswell with onshore winds messing things up. There’s really nothing to get excited about. The energy is weak, with combined values around 132 to 186. You’re better off doing something else.

The 5th has a slight improvement with a bit of a south-southeast bump and a light offshore wind on the morning of the 5th. But the swell is small, around 3ft, and the period is only 10 seconds. It’s barely surfable, and the afternoon gets chopped up by a cross-shore breeze. The energy reading is 216 – still weak.

The 6th and 7th are poor. A touch of chest-high stuff on the 7th afternoon, but onshore north winds and short periods make it a mess. Not worth your time.

Then things start to change. On the morning of the 8th, it’s still tiny, but the wind goes glassy. That afternoon, the swell jumps a little to 4ft with a 7-second period, and the energy reading is 325. The combo of glassy conditions and a bit more push gives it a shot, but the short period will keep it crumbly.

The 9th has a proper offshore wind, but it’s strong in the afternoon – 22 mph – and the swell is still only around 3-4ft. It’s clean but a bit warped by the wind. The energy is moderate at 335-489.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The 10th sees the swell start to build properly, with 8ft to 8ft of south swell, at 8 seconds, but the energy reading jumps to 816 and then 1014. That’s moderate-to-strong energy. The wind is cross-offshore, so it should be clean. This is the start of the main event.

The standout stretch is the 11th through the 13th. The 11th brings a serious jump in quality. Swell is 8ft to 10ft, period jumps to 13 seconds, and the energy readings are massive – between 2225 and 2822. That’s strong to very strong energy. The wind is glassy on the morning and calm in the afternoon. This is a proper groundswell, and it’s going to be powerful. This is only for experienced surfers, though. The wave size is over 8ft, so it’s not for beginners.

The 12th is the peak. Morning sees 8ft of 13-second south swell with a light offshore wind and a combined energy reading of 4052 – that’s a serious amount of juice. It’s as good as it gets. The afternoon backs off a bit to 7ft but still has solid 12-second period and clean conditions. The 13th continues with 7ft of 11-12 second swell, still clean with offshore or cross-offshore winds. This whole run from the 11th to the 13th is the best on offer, with the 12th morning being the pick of the bunch. These long-period swells are best handled at a point or reef, and with the beach/jetty setup here, it might get a bit shifty, but the power and push will be undeniable.

After that, the swell drops but the wind turns against us. The 14th has 7ft of south swell, but strong onshore northeast winds wreck it. The 15th drops in size but the wind stays bad. The 16th and 17th are poor again with small, weak, and chopped-up surf. The run is over.

So, to sum it up: the first week is mostly a write-off. The big window is from the 11th to the 13th, and it’s going to be proper. If you’re an experienced surfer, that’s your time. For everyone else, this whole thing is a wash.

Rusty

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