Surf Forecasts:
Reef surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Monday 24 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 8s period, WSW swell with 620 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Reef this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Reef in the next 16 days are 2.2m 8s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.1m 11s period and expected on Friday (Aug 21) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (WEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here, looking at what's on the table for the next couple of weeks. Honestly, it's a tough one to call. The pattern is basically flat or messy for the majority of the window. We're looking at a long stretch of poor surf conditions, with a lot of wind and not much in the way of decent swell. There's a real gap from now through most of the next week, with nothing really worth paddling out for.
The first real flicker of life shows up on the morning of Sunday, August 23rd, but it's still a "poor surf conditions" call. The only spot that ever gets a slight nod is the Reef. It's a fairly consistent, exposed reef break that likes a swell from the southwest. The water temp is sitting at 68°F, which is about 1°F cooler than the long-term average, so it's pretty normal for this time of year.
Let's be straight with you. Nothing gets a score above a 1 out of 10, and even that's only for a couple of sessions around Thursday, August 27th afternoon and Friday, August 28th morning. During that Thursday afternoon, we see a bump in energy with a combined energy of all swells directed here of 1131, and a 6ft swell from the northwest. But the wind is cross-on, so it's going to be a choppy, lumpy affair. The Friday morning is similar, 6ft from the NW, but again, cross-on winds. The period is a moderate 10 seconds, so it's not a clean groundswell. For the advanced surfer, it might be worth a look if the tide lines up, but it's a marginal call.
The bottom line is, for the entire 16-day run, conditions are sub-par. The wind is mostly from the north or northwest, which is cross or cross-on for this spot. There's a lot of moderate to fresh breezes. The energy is there in the later part of the month, but the quality is just not there. For a few sessions around the 27th and 28th, the swell does get above 5ft, and some of it is up to 7ft on the 24th, but that's paired with a short period of 8 seconds and direct onshore wind. That's a recipe for a messy, blown-out mess. It's only for the experts if they're desperate.
After that, the first week of September looks like it falls off a cliff, with very small swell and long periods that are directional mismatches. It's a pretty bleak outlook, guys. It's a quiet pattern for this area, and the forecasts will need to change a lot to give us something to smile about.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Wed afternoon, min 18°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed night, fresh winds from the N by Thu afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Sun afternoon. Warm (max 22°C on Sun morning, min 19°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SW on Sat night, fresh winds from the S by Sun morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | SSW 15 | WNW 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 10 | W 10 | W 9 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | W 7 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
27 | 50 | 62 | 59 | 61 | 25 | 21 | 49 | 38 | 25 | 23 | 377 | 555 | 230 | 620 | 547 | 285 | 153 | 101 | 81 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 8:08PM2.18m | 8:37AM2.15m | 9:12PM1.98m | 9:50AM2.03m | 10:42PM1.88m | 11:22AM2.03m | 00:11AM1.94m | 12:36PM2.16m | 1:11AM2.08m | 1:28PM2.34m | 1:54AM2.25m | 2:08PM2.54m | 2:30AM2.42m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:12AM0.91m | 2:50PM1.00m | 3:15AM1.09m | 4:18PM1.11m | 4:48AM1.16m | 5:56PM1.07m | 6:14AM1.07m | 7:03PM0.92m | 7:12AM0.91m | 7:48PM0.74m | 7:53AM0.72m | 8:24PM0.55m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | |
8:28 | — | — | 8:25 | — | — | 8:24 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:19 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
Feels °C | 23 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 20 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 7 | NNW 6 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | WNW 9 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | WNW 10 | W 10 | W 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | W 7 | W 7 | SW 12 | W 6 |
68 | 41 | 62 | 59 | 61 | 21 | 21 | 49 | 516 | 348 | 176 | 377 | 555 | 230 | 11 | 11 | 285 | 153 | 6 | 81 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 10 | WNW 9 | NNW 5 | NW 11 | NW 12 | WNW 9 | W 11 | NNW 12 | W 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | NNW 8 | N 8 | NNW 8 | SW 13 | SW 13 | N 7 | SW 12 | W 10 | SW 12 |
27 | 50 | 17 | 30 | 36 | 25 | 2 | 29 | 38 | 25 | 23 | 90 | 63 | 19 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 6 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | SSW 13 | NNW 12 | SW 13 | NNW 10 | SSW 15 | — | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | — | — | SW 12 | N 7 | W 10 | N 10 |
6 | 17 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 21 | — | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 7 | — | — | 6 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | NNW 5 | NNW 7 | NNW 11 | NNW 10 | NNW 10 | — | — | — | SSE 2 | S 4 | SW 6 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | — | — | W 6 | — |
— | — | — | 14 | 310 | 1011 | 886 | 746 | — | — | — | 1 | 14 | 112 | 620 | 547 | — | — | 101 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 203 | 0 | 32 | 221 | 265 | 236 | 400 | 32 | 32 | 43 | 1 | 143 | 225 | 143 | 484 | 269 | 34 | 35 | 484 | 221 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Ericeira | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Portugal | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Reef Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Reef provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Reef can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Reef surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Reef) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Reef may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Are you planning a holiday in Ericeira? If you are looking for accommodation near Reef, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Ericeira, consider staying in Torres Vedras which is 19 km (12 miles) away. Other places in and around Ericeira where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Sintra which is 21 km (13 miles) away, Rio de Mouro, Cacem and Loures.











