
Surf Forecasts:
Viana do Castelo surf forecast from 16 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 18 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 6s period, NW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 19 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 6s period, NW swell with 77 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 18 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 6s period with NW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Viana do Castelo this week:
The surf forecast for Viana do Castelo over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Viana do Castelo in the next 16 days are 1.1m 6s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) 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 0.5m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 18) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (WEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Sat 18th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Sat 18th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Sun 19th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Viana do Castelo over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.
We’re looking at a pretty flat start to the outlook for Viana do Castelo. The first week or so is a real struggle. From the 16th right through the 24th of July, we’re dealing with tiny, weak swell that’s just not worth paddling out for. The energy is low, with combined swell readings barely cracking 100 (maxing out at 76). The winds are mostly cross or cross-on, and the report keeps saying "poor surf conditions." It’s a long, quiet stretch.
Things finally start to show a pulse around the 25th of July. Saturday morning, we see a modest bump of 3ft from the NNW, with a period of 8 seconds and combined energy hitting 101. The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the N at 9 mph. It’s "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions," so it’s a slight improvement, but nothing to get the heart racing.
The true standout, the one to circle on the calendar, is the morning of Sunday, the 26th of July. That’s the best window. The swell builds to 5ft from the NNW, with a period of 7 seconds, and the combined energy is a solid 249. The wind is a light 6 mph offshore from the N, keeping it clean. The forecast says "expect good surf conditions." This is the one. For a beginner-friendly spot like this river break, 5ft is a fun size, and with clean offshore wind, it will be a great morning. The water temp is running about 63°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you might want a spring suit.
After that, the swell gets bigger but sloppier. The Monday the 27th sees 7ft to 8ft of NNW swell, and while the wind is light, the afternoon session has a note saying it’s "too big for this break." That’s expert territory, and while the energy is huge (655), it’s a caution. The 29th of July morning brings a very strong 6ft swell from the NW with a period of 11 seconds and massive energy of 1207, but the wind is a stiff 16 mph cross-off, which will make it clean but tricky. That’s a long-range promise, but less certain.
For the second week, the 30th and 31st keep the swell going in the 4ft to 7ft range, but the winds are consistently strong (16-25 mph), keeping it clean but blown out. It’s a case of picking your window.
The best bet? Without a doubt, the morning of Sunday, 26th July. Clean, chest-high sets, light offshore, and a river break that will handle the groundswell fine. It’s the one.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sun morning, min 16°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sun afternoon, min 15°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | ||||||||||||||
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 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | NW 6 | NW 5 | NW 9 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NW 7 | NNW 7 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
26 | 23 | 21 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 22 | 77 | 14 | 14 | 31 | 42 | 42 | 37 | 35 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 18 | 16 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross | cross | off | on | cross | cross | cross-on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | off |
High Tide | 5:27PM3.61m | 5:57AM3.30m | 6:11PM3.51m | 6:41AM3.20m | 6:55PM3.36m | 7:25AM3.06m | 7:38PM3.16m | 8:11AM2.90m | 8:23PM2.95m | 9:00AM2.76m | 9:14PM2.74m | 9:56AM2.64m | 10:14PM2.57m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:41PM0.46m | 11:52AM0.67m | 00:25AM0.56m | 12:36PM0.80m | 1:09AM0.72m | 1:20PM0.97m | 1:53AM0.90m | 2:06PM1.16m | 2:39AM1.09m | 2:59PM1.33m | 3:32AM1.26m | 4:03PM1.46m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | |
— | 9:07 | — | — | 9:07 | — | — | 9:06 | — | — | 9:05 | — | — | 9:05 | — | — | 9:04 | — | — | 9:02 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 22 | 22 | 18 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 21 | 21 | 18 |
Feels °C | 21 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 18 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | WNW 8 | NW 3 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | NW 6 | NW 5 | NW 4 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NW 7 | NNW 7 | NW 8 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NNW 6 |
26 | 23 | 21 | 13 | 2 | 13 | 22 | 77 | 14 | 7 | 31 | 42 | 42 | 37 | 35 | 33 | 33 | 9 | 9 | 15 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | WSW 4 | WSW 5 | WSW 4 | WNW 8 | NW 4 | SW 5 | NW 10 | WNW 8 | NW 9 | NW 8 | W 8 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | NW 7 | NW 6 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 |
4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 12 | 17 | 12 | 24 | 23 | 35 | 11 | 9 | 32 | 18 | 16 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 11 | W 6 | SW 12 | WSW 4 | SW 6 | NW 11 | SW 19 | NNW 9 | W 9 | W 8 | WNW 12 | W 8 | W 7 | W 7 | W 4 | W 6 | — | — | N 9 |
7 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 15 | 8 | 14 | 12 | 15 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | — | — | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | WNW 2 | — | — | NW 4 | — | SSE 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | 1 | — | — | 5 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 594 | 700 | 856 | 615 | 1164 | 738 | 615 | 2 | 38 | 146 | 5 | 18 | 104 | 0 | 117 | 168 | 5 | 118 | 284 | 312 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Douro and Minho | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Portugal | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Viana do Castelo Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Viana do Castelo provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Viana do Castelo can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Viana do Castelo 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 (Viana do Castelo) 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 Viana do Castelo 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.
Viana do Castelo is 3 km (2 miles) from Viana do Castelo. If you plan a holiday in Douro and Minho, look for hotels and other accommodation in Viana do Castelo. Viana do Castelo has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










