Viana do Castelo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, looking at the swell window for the next couple of weeks. To be straight with you, the first week is a bit of a write-off. We're looking at a long stretch of tiny, weak, and poorly shaped waves. Don't bother waxing up just yet.

We kick off on Saturday the 18th of July with nothing but knee-high dribble from the WNW at 1 foot. The wind is glassy in the morning, but the energy is basically non-existent, sitting at 21. It's a frustrating start, and that feeling carries right through the whole first week. The water temp is sitting at 66°, which is pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year.

We'll see a slight bump on the 22nd, with the morning going glassy again on a 1 foot WNW swell. The comments say "surfable but very ordinary," and that's about the best we can say for it. The energy is still pathetic at 49. Honestly, it's not worth the drive.

The real story, and the only thing worth getting excited about, is a pulse of energy that arrives on Monday the 27th of July. The morning session is the standout of the whole outlook. We’ll see a solid 3 foot swell from the NNW, with a clean 10-second period, pushing the energy up to a moderate 202. The wind is light and cross-off shore, which means the river mouth at Viana do Castelo should be clean and offering some proper little waves. It’s the only time in the forecast where the stars align for a decent paddle.

The good news is that the swell sticks around, but it gets a bit of a personality crisis. The afternoon of the 27th jumps to 6 feet, with much stronger energy (527), but the wind howls to 22 mph. That’s getting too big for the beginners and the strong wind will make it a messy, blown-out affair. The same pattern holds for the next few days: solid swell heights (6 to 8 feet) and heaps of energy (377 to 769), but the wind is always too strong for a clean, enjoyable surf. The 30th of July afternoon actually has a note saying the swell is predicted to be too big for this break.

If you’re an expert looking for a power session, the morning of Thursday the 30th of July has 7 feet from the NNW with a gentle offshore breeze, but the tide conditions might be questionable. The 31st of July morning is also a decent option, with 6 feet from the NNW and a light breeze.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a total dud. The second week brings a massive injection of energy, but the wind is almost always a problem. Your best bet, and the only one I’d really call a standout, is the morning of Monday the 27th of July. Get out there early, because the afternoon is a write-off, and the rest of the week is for the big-wave crew and the kite surfers.

Rusty.

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