Surf Forecasts:
Ribanceira surf forecast from 29 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 2 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, SSW swell with 1,494 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 30 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 8s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Ribanceira this week:
The surf forecast for Ribanceira over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 5s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Ribanceira in the next 16 days are 3.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 8s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 29) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (-03) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Ribanceira over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, it’s your old mate Rusty here, having a good hard look at the charts for Ribanceira over the next couple of weeks. Let’s get straight into it.
Gotta be honest with ya, the start of this run is pretty flat and ugly. Saturday the 29th, we’ve got tiny, weak 1ft swell from the southeast with a short period. That combined energy is only 25, which is just about nothing, so don’t bother paddling out. There’s a bit of light rain and a gentle offshore, but the waves are just too poor.
Sunday the 30th stays small. That morning glassy offshore wind is beautiful – 3 mph from the south-southwest – but the swell’s only 2ft with a pathetic 5-second period. You’ll be bobbing around with nothing to ride. The afternoon fills in a touch to 4ft, but it swings onshore and gets messy. Not worth it.
Monday the 31st is a write-off. We get a jump in size to 8ft from the east-southeast, and the combined energy is up to 597 (moderate), but it’s onshore, with heavy rain in the morning. Just a messy, blown-out situation.
Tuesday the 1st of September chucks us a bone. The morning comes in with a clean 5ft from the east-southeast, and a light offshore breeze from the southwest. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. The energy is moderate at 251. The afternoon glass-off? Nah, the wind howls at 22 mph. That’s a fresh offshore, which cleans the surface, but you’ll be fighting a gale.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Wednesday the 2nd of September is a proper standout. Clear skies, gentle offshore wind from the southwest at 9 mph, and the swell jumps to 8ft from the south-southeast with a period of 9 seconds. The combined energy is a potent 1124, that’s strong. This is the best early call. The waves will have some punch and shape, and it’s all offshore. This is for the more experienced crew, though – 8ft isn’t beginner territory.
Thursday the 3rd to Saturday the 5th drops off again. The swell hangs around 3ft to 5ft, but cross-on or onshore winds wreck the quality. Sunday the 6th of September is another big call. We’ve got a solid 10ft groundswell from the south-southwest, energy at 2586 (very strong!), and a moderate offshore. This is *big* and powerful. Only for the experts. The period is 10 seconds, so it’s a proper groundswell that will be barrelling on the sandbars, but with that size and a period just under the 11-second mark, it might wall up quick. Still, a serious session for the brave.
Monday the 7th keeps the size around 7ft to 7ft with moderate offshore winds, but Tuesday the 8th of September is a sneaky gem. Glassy conditions in the morning, and a 6ft swell from the south-southeast with an 11-second period. That’s a longer period groundswell, so it’ll have good shape and energy (889 combined). It’s clean, it’s glassy, and it’s a proper wave.
After that, from Wednesday the 9th all the way through Sunday the 13th of September, it’s a real mixed bag. Breaks are inconsistent, the swell direction shifts to the east and north-east, and the wind is often onshore or cross-on. The energy is still okay at times (like Saturday the 12th with 815 from the east), but that’s paired with an onshore wind or cross-onshore. It’s a long, flat run for good, clean surf.
So, looking at the whole picture, the two real standouts are Wednesday the 2nd of September and Tuesday the 8th of September. The 2nd has the size and power for a solid paddle-out, and the 8th has that glassy, longer-period goodness. Wednesday the 6th is a beast, but you’d want to be a local charger.
Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 118mm), heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 19°C on Sat afternoon, min 17°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Tue morning. Warm (max 20°C on Tue morning, min 12°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Tue night, calm by Thu night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 10 | SSE 10 | S 4 | S 5 | E 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SSW 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
25 | 20 | 14 | 14 | 157 | 200 | 597 | 703 | 330 | 250 | 197 | 1494 | 1124 | 802 | 525 | 406 | 360 | 292 | 229 | 196 | 117 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross | on | cross-on | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 3:26PM0.67m | 3:24AM0.71m | 3:53PM0.64m | 3:56AM0.68m | 4:21PM0.59m | 4:33AM0.63m | 4:52PM0.53m | 5:25AM0.57m | 5:35PM0.47m | 6:39AM0.51m | 6:33PM0.41m | 7:46AM0.45m | 12:17PM0.43m | 7:27PM0.37m | |||||||
Low Tide | 8:55PM0.13m | 9:12AM0.03m | 9:11PM0.14m | 9:35AM0.09m | 9:19PM0.16m | 9:52AM0.17m | 9:21PM0.17m | 9:45AM0.25m | 9:29PM0.19m | 9:32AM0.32m | 1:18PM0.31m | 9:46PM0.21m | 9:17AM0.38m | 4:12PM0.30m | |||||||
6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | |
— | 5:59 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | |
mm | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 40 | 26 | 14 | 24 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 20 | 19 | 15 |
Feels °C | 18 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 18 | 16 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | — | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | SSE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 |
313 | 256 | 211 | 167 | 157 | 200 | — | 703 | 330 | 250 | 197 | 103 | 111 | 802 | 525 | 406 | 360 | 292 | 229 | 196 | 117 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 10 | SSE 10 | S 4 | S 5 | S 5 | SSE 6 | — | — | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ESE 8 | — | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | S 11 | NNE 5 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 |
25 | 20 | 14 | 14 | 9 | 31 | — | — | 120 | 86 | 116 | 80 | — | 107 | 48 | 45 | 2 | 31 | 24 | 24 | 25 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 9 | — | — | S 8 | S 7 | — | — | — | — | ENE 9 | S 12 | S 11 | ENE 9 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 5 |
— | — | 9 | 10 | 9 | 3 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 76 | 3 | 2 | 45 | 10 | 8 | 6 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 3 | SSW 3 | — | — | SE 5 | SSE 6 | ESE 8 | ENE 9 | — | — | — | SSW 9 | SSE 9 | SSW 8 | — | NNE 3 | NE 4 | N 5 | SW 3 | SW 7 | S 4 |
3 | 2 | — | — | 6 | 53 | 597 | 124 | — | — | — | 1494 | 1124 | 176 | — | 1 | 44 | 73 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 92 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Santa Catarina - Sul | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Brazil | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Ribanceira Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Ribanceira provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Ribanceira can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Ribanceira 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 (Ribanceira) 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 Ribanceira 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.
Ribanceira is 6 km (4 miles) from Imbituba. If you plan a holiday in Santa Catarina - Sul, look for hotels and other accommodation in Imbituba. Imbituba has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











