Viana do Castelo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let's have a look at what's on the cards for the Viana do Castelo area. It's a bit of a mixed bag for the next couple of weeks, but there's definitely some light at the end of the tunnel.

The first few days are pretty tame. Thursday and Friday (3rd and 4th of September) are nothing to write home about. We're looking at small, weak swells around 2ft to 3ft from the west-northwest with pretty ordinary energy. The wind is a bit messy, making for poor, ordinary conditions. It's a bit of a flat start, but hold on.

Saturday the 5th is where things start to get interesting. The morning brings a glassy, calm start with a clean 2ft swell from the northwest. The real kicker is the afternoon, though. The swell jumps to about 4ft from the northwest, with a period of 13 seconds, and the energy ramps right up to strong. It's a bit of a cross-shore wind, so it won't be perfect, but that's a good sign of things to come.

Sunday the 6th keeps the swell in the 3ft to 4ft range with moderate energy, but the wind is a bit messy again. Not a standout, but surfable.

Now, the standout in the first week. Monday the 7th of September is the one to circle. The morning delivers a solid 6ft swell from the west-northwest, with a 12-second period and very strong energy. The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the north-northwest. The data says it's excellent for experienced surfers. That's a proper push of groundswell, and with the river mouth setup, it should be offering some nicely lined-up waves. Just be aware, the afternoon gets a bit windy, so get out there early.

The rest of the first week and into the second week drops off again. From Tuesday the 8th through to the 12th of September, we're back to small, weak swells with poor to ordinary conditions. The wind is howling on the 8th and 9th, making for a messy, blown-out ocean. There's a few days there with nothing to get excited about.

Then, we get another promising window. The morning of Sunday the 13th of September looks like a good one. A 5ft swell from the northwest with a very long 14-second period and strong energy, combined with glassy conditions. That's a recipe for some clean, powerful waves at the river mouth.

We also have a nice run from Monday the 14th through to Wednesday the 16th of September. Nothing huge, with swells from 2ft to 5ft, but the wind is often light, glassy, or clean with good energy in the mornings. The morning of the 16th, with a 5ft, 10-second northwest swell and glassy conditions, is a solid, reliable option for a fun session.

The last few days of the forecast, from the 17th, look like they're fading back to small, ordinary stuff with a freshening wind.

The water temperature is sitting at about 67°F, which is about average for this time of year, so no need for a really thick suit.

To sum it up, the best bet is clearly Monday morning the 7th of September. That 6ft west-northwest swell with the clean offshore wind and very strong energy is the pick of the bunch for the experienced crew. If you're looking for something a bit more relaxed, the glassy mornings around the 13th, 14th, and 16th are your best bet for a decent, clean wave. The crowds can be an issue here at times, so keep that in mind.

Rusty.

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