
Surf Forecasts:
Viana do Castelo surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 5 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 12s period, NW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 7PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 11s period, WNW swell with 822 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 3 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 8s period with WNW 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 Thursday (Sep 03) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Viana do Castelo in the next 16 days are 1.9m 11s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (WEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Sat 5th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 6ft (1.9m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Viana do Castelo over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
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.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Thu afternoon, min 19°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Mon morning, min 16°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | ||||||||||||||
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 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | NW 11 | NW 13 | NW 12 | NW 11 | NW 10 | W 14 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 9 | NW 9 | NNW 8 | NW 11 | NW 11 | NW 10 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
59 | 78 | 111 | 121 | 124 | 79 | 495 | 555 | 332 | 212 | 411 | 793 | 802 | 572 | 272 | 418 | 356 | 544 | 361 | 184 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:00PM2.90m | 8:36AM2.90m | 9:13PM2.68m | 9:59AM2.78m | 10:52PM2.60m | 11:36AM2.81m | 00:27AM2.70m | 12:57PM2.98m | 1:37AM2.92m | 1:56PM3.21m | 2:29AM3.14m | 2:44PM3.40m | 3:11AM3.31m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:09AM1.08m | 2:54PM1.21m | 3:26AM1.28m | 4:32PM1.31m | 5:07AM1.34m | 6:10PM1.20m | 6:35AM1.21m | 7:21PM0.98m | 7:39AM1.00m | 8:14PM0.75m | 8:28AM0.80m | 8:57PM0.56m | ||||||||
— | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | |
8:06 | — | — | 8:04 | — | — | 8:02 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:59 | — | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:55 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 28 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 22 | 25 | 24 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 23 | 21 | 17 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 18 |
Feels °C | 27 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 18 | 23 | 19 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | NW 9 | NW 13 | NW 12 | NW 11 | NW 10 | W 14 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 8 | NW 11 | NW 11 | NW 10 |
59 | 78 | 111 | 121 | 124 | 73 | 495 | 555 | 332 | 212 | 411 | 793 | 802 | 572 | 272 | 41 | 35 | 544 | 361 | 184 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 5 | NNW 8 | SW 14 | NW 5 | NNW 5 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | NW 10 | NW 9 | — | — | — | — | NW 14 | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 |
6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 65 | 124 | 59 | 84 | 84 | 94 | 39 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 12 | 10 | 9 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SW 14 | — | SW 13 | SW 13 | NW 11 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | W 17 | WNW 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 8 | — | W 13 |
20 | 8 | — | 7 | 7 | 79 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 24 | 82 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | — | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NNW 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 3 | — | — | NW 9 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NW 9 | NNW 8 | — | NNW 4 | NW 6 |
— | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | 20 | 115 | 80 | 418 | 356 | — | 7 | 112 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 18 | 100 | 2 | 0 | 120 | 19 | 251 | 130 | 100 | 2 | 100 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Douro and Minho | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Portugal | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










