Tercera Ponte Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let's have a look at what we've got.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with ya – this is a tough stretch for Tercera Ponte. The forecast looks pretty grim for a good long while, and the surf just isn't cooperating. We're looking at a real dry spell.

The first few days, from Thursday the 2nd through to Monday the 6th, it's just poor. Swell is coming in from the ESE, which is not the optimum direction for this spot at all – it needs a good S or SSE swell to really light up. The wind is onshore or cross-onshore and moderate to fresh, making things choppy and messy. The swell energy is moderate, around 573 down to 129 (moderate wave energy), but it doesn't matter because the quality is gone. The water temp is about average for the time of year at 80°, nothing unusual there.

Tuesday the 7th morning brings a tiny bit of hope, but it's slim. Swell drops to 2ft from the east, period a short 8 seconds, and the energy is weak at 94. The wind swings light and cross-offshore from the WNW, which cleans it right up. The file says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions", and that's about right. It's not worth paddling out for.

After that, the next little glimmer is Wednesday the 8th morning. A new, longer-period swell shows up: 1ft from the SSE with a 12-second period. The energy is weak at 88, but the wind is light offshore from the north. It's clean, but it's barely a wave. The afternoon gets ruined by a strong cross-shore wind.

Now, the best bet in this whole 16-day window lands on Thursday the 9th morning. The swell is still small, 3ft from the SSE with that nice 12-second period, and energy is up to moderate at 306. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the north. The file says "expect good surf conditions" – and for this spot, with that direction and that clean wind, it'll be the pick of the bunch. The small size means it's fine for beginners, but anyone will get a few fun, clean rides. There's likely to be a few others out too, as crowds are often around.

Friday the 10th morning also looks interesting: 3ft from the SSE, 11-second period, moderate energy at 241, and – get this – glassy conditions with zero wind. That's a rare treat and will feel beautiful. But again, it's small.

After that, the second week is mostly a write-off. From Saturday the 11th onwards, the swell is tiny, often below 3ft, period drops off, and the wind keeps swinging onshore or cross-shore. There's a morning here and there, like the 12th and 13th, with clean cross-offshore breezes, but the waves are too small to get excited about. The 17th morning has another glassy patch with a 12-second period, but again, it's only 2ft. The energy is weak the whole time, often under 200.

So, what's the verdict? This is a classic Azores lull. The only real standouts are Thursday morning the 9th and Friday morning the 10th at Tercera Ponte – both offer clean, small waves with a decent period and the right swell direction. Thursday the 9th is the best of the lot, but don't expect anything overhead. For the rest, you're better off checking the forecast again in a week.

Rusty.

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