Surf Forecasts:
The Reef surf forecast from 13 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 16 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 9s period, NNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 16 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, NNW swell with 1,238 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 16 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 9s period with NNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The Reef this week:
The surf forecast for The Reef over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 16s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Reef in the next 16 days are 3.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 16s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (WEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 10AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s coming for The Reef over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, the first few days are pretty rough. Thursday 13th and Friday 14th of August are no good – cross-shore winds are messing up the waves, and the quality is poor. There’s some swell from the WNW and NNW running 3ft to 5ft, but the wind just kills it. Not worth paddling out.
Now, Saturday 15th sees the swell jump up to about 8ft from the NNW, but a fresh cross-shore breeze keeps it lumpy. The combined energy is strong at 1032, but the surf quality is marginal. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than a paddle session.
The real standout is Sunday 16th and Monday 17th of August. Sunday morning we’ve got an 8ft NNW swell with a 9-second period and a light cross-offshore breeze. The water will be clean and the energy is solid at 944. This is the best on offer. Then Monday morning is even better – 7ft from the NNW, 9-second period, and glassy conditions with a slight air. Combined energy is still strong at 709. That Monday morning session is the one to target at The Reef.
Tuesday 18th keeps things decent with a 5ft NNW swell and a clean cross-offshore breeze in the morning. Energy is moderate at 349. Not a standout, but a solid session.
After that, we hit a lull from Wednesday 19th through Saturday 22nd. Swell drops and the winds turn onshore or cross-shore, making everything messy. Not much to write home about.
There’s a sneaky pulse on Thursday 20th August with a 7ft NW groundswell rolling in at 11 seconds. The combined energy is strong at 1080, but the wind is cross-onshore, which will put a bump on it. Marginal – maybe one for the experienced crew if the tide plays ball.
The second week from Sunday 23rd onward is pretty quiet. Swell drops to 3ft to 6ft with periods around 6 to 9 seconds. Winds are mostly cross-on or onshore, and the energy is weak to moderate. There’s a tiny window on the morning of Monday 24th and Tuesday 25th, but the swell is small and choppy. Not worth a special trip.
So overall, the pick of the fortnight is Sunday 16th morning and Monday 17th morning. Clean, solid, and that glassy Monday window – that’s where you want to be.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Thu afternoon, min 19°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (light winds from the N on Wed night, strong winds from the NNW by Sat afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Tue afternoon. Warm (max 27°C on Tue morning, min 20°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NNW on Sat night, calm by Mon morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 7 | NW 13 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 154 | 237 | 175 | 135 | 176 | 431 | 1032 | 964 | 1082 | 934 | 665 | 827 | 689 | 488 | 298 | 344 | 251 | 155 | 151 | 125 | 286 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross | glassy | on | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 4:01PM3.26m | 4:27AM2.93m | 4:42PM3.25m | 5:07AM2.90m | 5:22PM3.14m | 5:45AM2.80m | 6:01PM2.95m | 6:23AM2.67m | 6:40PM2.71m | 7:02AM2.50m | 7:21PM2.44m | 7:44AM2.32m | 8:08PM2.18m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:45AM0.08m | 10:18PM-0.10m | 10:26AM0.04m | 10:58PM-0.07m | 11:05AM0.09m | 11:36PM0.05m | 11:44AM0.20m | 00:12AM0.24m | 12:23PM0.38m | 00:49AM0.46m | 1:04PM0.59m | 1:27AM0.69m | 1:50PM0.80m | 2:12AM0.91m | |||||||
 |  |  | | |  | | | | | | | | | | |  |  | | | | |
 | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — |
 | — | 8:35 | — | — | 8:34 | — | — | 8:32 | — | — | 8:31 | — | — | 8:30 | — | — | 8:29 | — | — | 8:27 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 23 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 24 | 24 | 21 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 27 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 |
Feels °C | 21 | 22 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 24 | 23 | 20 | 26 | 24 | 23 | 26 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | — | S 18 | SW 18 | S 18 | NNW 9 | SW 16 | SW 15 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 |
| kJ | 154 | 237 | 175 | 130 | 124 | — | 6 | 12 | 6 | 934 | 11 | 9 | 689 | 488 | 298 | 344 | 251 | 155 | 151 | 125 | 111 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 16 | — | — | SW 18 | SW 15 | WNW 8 | W 8 | SSW 16 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | NW 13 |
| kJ | 18 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | — | 12 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 24 | 6 | 12 | 6 | 286 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 15 | — | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | — | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | WNW 9 |
| kJ | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | 26 | 25 | — | 21 | 20 | 20 | 28 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 5 | NNW 5 | NNW 5 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 9 | — | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | — | — | — | — | SW 2 | — | S 3 | SSW 3 | — |
| kJ | 23 | 33 | 72 | 135 | 176 | 431 | 1032 | 964 | 1082 | — | 665 | 827 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 26 | 215 | 30 | 119 | 467 | 229 | 236 | 572 | 199 | 0 | 216 | 29 | 0 | 207 | 3 | 0 | 207 | 0 | 0 | 137 | 8 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Ericeira | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Portugal | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the The Reef Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for The Reef provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at The Reef can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our The 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 (The 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 The 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.
The Reef is 15 km (9 miles) from the city of Sintra. If you plan a holiday in Ericeira, look for hotels and other accommodation in Sintra. Sintra has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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