Prainha do Farol Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for Prainha do Farol over the next couple of weeks. Gotta be straight with you – it’s a slow start. The first few days are pretty flat and messy, so don’t bother checking the cam until later in the week.

We’re looking at a real quiet spell from Monday the 20th through Wednesday the 22nd of July. Swell is tiny, barely 0.7ft to 2ft, with periods all over the place and the combined energy is weak (11-86). Wind is variable but mostly light, and the water temp is about average for this time of year. The waves just aren’t there. It’s a beach break, so you’d be waiting a long time for a waist-high ripple.

Things start to get a bit more interesting by Thursday the 23rd, but it’s still not great. The swell picks up to 5ft-6ft from the SSE with a period of 9 seconds, and the energy jumps up to moderate (773). The problem is the wind – it’s cross-onshore and fairly choppy, so the quality is poor. Friday the 24th is a little better by comparison, with the swell hitting 6ft from the SE and a solid 1013 of energy, but again, it’s a cross-onshore breeze and the waves are lumpy. At this size, it’s no good for beginners.

Saturday the 25th drops off again, and Sunday the 26th sees a bigger pulse – 7ft on the ESE with a 9-second period and strong energy (1163). But the wind is a moderate cross-shore, leaving it choppy and messy. This is getting into expert territory for size, but the wind is just too strong for a good paddle. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Now, here’s where it gets a little exciting. On Monday the 27th, we get a real standout morning. The swell is 6ft from the E with a period of 10 seconds, and the energy is strong (758). The wind goes glassy – WNW at 5 km/h (3 mph) and offshore. That’s clean surf, and the waves should have some shape. Prainha do Farol is an exposed beach break, so a long-period swell can sometimes break straight, but the ESE direction is close to the optimum southerly direction, so it should offer some decent lines. This is the best on offer in the whole period. The wind stays cross-shore in the afternoon, so get out early.

The rest of the week is a bit of a mixed bag. Tuesday the 28th has a 5ft swell with a longer 11-second period, but the wind is a fresh 30 km/h (19 mph) from the NNE, making it clean but tough. Wednesday the 29th morning has a smaller 3ft swell with a 11-second period, and the wind is gentler and cross-off, so it’s clean but small. From Thursday the 30th right through to the end of the first week of August, the swell drops off and the energy is weak (80-242). The wind is messy, and the quality is poor. There’s a small bump on Monday the 4th of August with a 2ft southerly swell and a 11-second period, and the wind is clean cross-off, but it’s too small to get excited about.

So, bottom line: the first week is a write-off. The standout is Monday, July 27th – morning session. That’s the one to circle. Everything else is a wait-and-see.
Rusty.

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