
Surf Forecasts:
Reef surf forecast from 11 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 13 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 12s period, NW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 17 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 12s period, NW swell with 593 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 12 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 9s period with WNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Reef this week:
The surf forecast for Reef over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 12) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 9s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Reef in the next 16 days are 1.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 8s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (WEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Sat 12th Sep) | 2ft (0.6m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Sun 13th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 5ft (1.5m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get into it.
The next couple of days are looking pretty average, if we’re being honest. The swell is small and wonky, and the wind is mostly cross or onshore. You might see a few lines in the water on Friday morning, but it’s going to be weak and period-short, around 3ft at 6 seconds from the NNW with a cross-off breeze. The water is a chilly 64°, which is 5° colder than it should be this time of year. That’s a big deal – it’s much colder than normal, so if you’re paddling out, bring the thick rubber.
Saturday looks pretty flat, with the swell dropping to 2ft. Not worth the effort.
Now, here’s where things start to get interesting. Sunday morning, September 13th, is the first real standout. It’s glassy, with the wind completely calm. The swell jumps to 3ft from the NW with a period of 13 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, pushing the combined energy to 330 (moderate). The direction is right in the sweet spot for Reef. This is the kind of morning you’ll want to be out early, before it gets bigger. The period is long, so the sets will have some push, and the glassy conditions will have it looking like a mirror. This one is a go.
By Sunday afternoon, the swell builds to 4ft, but the wind turns onshore from the west. It’ll be lumpy and less appealing. Monday and Tuesday look poor, with small, short-period leftovers and cross-shore winds.
The next real window opens up on Saturday morning, September 19th. After a few days of junk, we get a light cross-off breeze from the SSE and a clean 4ft swell from the NW at 10 seconds. Combined energy is 235 (moderate). It won’t be as powerful as Sunday’s swell, but the conditions will be clean. If you can’t make that one, Sunday morning, September 20th looks very similar – clean, cross-off breeze, 4ft from the NW. And then on Monday morning, September 21st, we get those glassy conditions again with a 4ft NW swell. These mornings are all solid options for a clean, uncrowded session.
Now, looking further out to the last week, there’s some serious size on the cards, but it comes with problems. From Tuesday, September 22nd, the swell really fills in – 6ft from the NW with a 12-second period. The energy is strong, hitting 918. But the wind is cross and fresh, making it a mess. By Friday morning, September 25th, it’s a big one: 6ft at 15 seconds, with the energy cranking to a strong 1261. This is a proper long-period groundswell. The problem is the wind remains a strong cross-shore from the north. It’s going to be powerful and challenging. This one is for the experts only. At this size and with that long period, Reef is going to be heavy and unpredictable. If you’re a beginner, stay well away.
After that, things drop out again. The long-range stuff is promising in size, but the wind hasn’t looked good.
So, in short: Sunday morning, September 13th is your best bet for the cleanest, most classic conditions with that long-period groundswell. The following weekend and Monday mornings (19th, 20th, and 21st) are also fun, just a little smaller and less powerful. Don’t bother with the middle of this week, and if you’re looking at the 25th, make sure you’re no one’s liability.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Sun morning, min 19°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Mon morning, min 17°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSW on Mon morning, strong winds from the N by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | NW 15 | NW 13 | NW 12 | NW 12 | NW 11 | NW 11 | WNW 8 | NW 12 | NW 12 | NW 11 | WNW 11 | SW 13 | NW 12 | S 18 | S 16 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
74 | 55 | 16 | 55 | 68 | 80 | 290 | 465 | 427 | 242 | 172 | 40 | 23 | 65 | 117 | 161 | 6 | 593 | 6 | 5 | 10 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off | cross | on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:38PM3.21m | 4:01AM2.96m | 4:15PM3.17m | 4:36AM2.94m | 4:51PM3.04m | 5:10AM2.86m | 5:26PM2.85m | 5:44AM2.73m | 6:02PM2.62m | 6:18AM2.55m | 6:39PM2.37m | 6:56AM2.36m | 7:22PM2.13m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:53PM-0.07m | 10:02AM0.03m | 10:27PM-0.02m | 10:38AM0.08m | 11:00PM0.11m | 11:13AM0.19m | 11:32PM0.29m | 11:48AM0.36m | 00:04AM0.50m | 12:25PM0.57m | 00:38AM0.73m | 1:07PM0.80m | 1:19AM0.95m | ||||||||
7:13 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | |
— | 7:52 | — | — | 7:51 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 22 | 20 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 24 | 23 | 21 |
Feels °C | 19 | 19 | 21 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 27 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 8 | NW 13 | NW 12 | NW 12 | NW 11 | NW 11 | NW 10 | NNW 10 | NW 12 | NW 11 | WNW 11 | SW 13 | NW 12 | NNW 11 | S 12 | NNW 10 |
128 | 68 | 87 | 157 | 115 | 128 | 290 | 465 | 427 | 242 | 172 | 104 | 63 | 65 | 117 | 161 | 6 | 593 | 1384 | 3 | 669 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 7 | W 7 | NNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | N 7 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | — | S 13 | — | SW 12 | S 12 | S 16 | SW 16 |
4 | 4 | 17 | 55 | 68 | 64 | 48 | 40 | 27 | 46 | 47 | 40 | 22 | 22 | — | 3 | — | 6 | 3 | 5 | 10 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | SW 13 | NW 12 | NW 15 | W 9 | S 11 | S 11 | NNW 6 | S 11 | S 10 | NW 12 | S 10 | — | — | — | — | S 18 | — | S 11 |
2 | 7 | 16 | 7 | 6 | 80 | 40 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 23 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 5 | NNW 5 | NNW 4 | NNW 4 | NNW 7 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | — | NNW 10 | — |
74 | 55 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 10 | 8 | 44 | 320 | 1320 | 1211 | 994 | — | 886 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 35 | 222 | 35 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 0 | 1 | 35 | 32 | 32 | 984 | 236 | 585 | 585 | 32 | 38 | 34 | 34 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Ericeira | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Portugal | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










