Zambujeira do Mar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's get into this one. We’ve got a mixed bag coming up at Zambujeira do Mar. The outlook starts with a standout session tomorrow morning, then a long stretch of choppy, blown-out conditions before a couple of cleaner windows later on.

For the short term, Tuesday the 25th of August is your best bet to get wet. We’ve got a nice little pulse of WNW groundswell pushing in at about 5ft with an 8-second period, and the wind is a dead-flat glassy calm from the WSW at only 3 mph. That combo is going to give you some clean, lined-up waves at Zambujeira do Mar. The combined energy is sitting at a moderate 214, and the water’s sitting at 67°, which is a noticeable 3° colder than average for this time of year, so you'll want a steamer or a good rashie. Get out there early because it drops off in the afternoon as the wind swings onshore and the size backs off.

After that, you’re looking at a rough patch. From Tuesday afternoon all the way through to the end of the month, the wind is a mess—predominantly onshore or cross-onshore from the west and northwest, churning up the surf at Zambujeira do Mar. There will be some size, like the 5ft to 8ft swells hitting on the 27th and 28th, but with those onshores and periods dipping to 6 to 8 seconds, it’s going to be choppy and sloppy. Not worth paddling out unless you need to stretch the arms.

There is a bright spot on Saturday morning, the 29th of August. An early cross-offshore breeze from the NNE at 6 mph will clean up a 5ft NW swell with a 9-second period. The energy is moderate at 393, and it’ll be clean for a few hours. But be quick, because the wind swings northwest and picks up to 16 mph by the afternoon, ruining it.

We then hit a real dry spell. From the 30th of August right through until the 9th of September, the forecast is a steady stream of poor surf conditions. The wind is consistently moderate to fresh out of the north and northwest, creating cross-chop and lumpy seas. The swell sticks around in the 3ft to 6ft range, but the quality just isn't there. There is another promising window on the morning of Monday, the 7th of September, where a clean cross-offshore wind from the north at 12 mph meets a 6ft NW swell (8-second period, 353 energy), giving you another shot at some decent, cleaner waves. It’s worth a look, but it’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it.

And finally, the last call of the run is another nice-looking Wednesday morning on the 9th of September. Clean conditions with a N wind at 9 mph blowing cross-offshore, and a 5ft NW swell (9-second period, 312 energy). Again, the afternoon gets roughed up by a strong NW wind, so it’s strictly a dawn patrol deal.

For the standout sessions, don't mess about. Tuesday the 25th of August is the clear winner—glassy, clean, and the swell direction is right on the money from the WNW, which is exactly what Zambujeira do Mar likes. The Saturday the 29th and Monday the 7th are your back-up options if you miss it. Overall, there's a lot of average, but a couple of truly glassy moments to get excited about.

Rusty out.

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