Praia Cardoso Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright mate, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

We’ve got a single spot on the radar for the next 16 days – Praia Cardoso. The pattern over the period is a real mixed bag. There's a pulse of serious, heavy swell early on, then it drops away for a long while, with only a few windows of decent, clean surf later in the second week. The water temp is 65°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The real standout of the whole forecast is Tuesday morning the 2nd of September. The swell will be pushing a solid 7 ft from the SSE but what makes this special is that we get a light offshore breeze from the north (Gentle breeze). That wind direction (N) is the offshore arrow for this break. That combo will give you beautiful, clean lines. The wave energy is substantial too, with a combined swell energy of (1141), which kicks hard. With a period of 11 seconds, it’s a solid groundswell that should wrap in nicely. This one’s for the experienced crew though; over 7 ft is expert territory. Crowds are likely here, so expect company.

The next good shout is Thursday morning the 3rd of September. The swell has dropped a bit to 5 ft from the SSE, and we get a near-glass offshore wind from the NW (Slight air). It’s clean, and the combined energy is still chunky at (571). This is a solid window for experienced surfers, though it’s not as big as Tuesday.

Now, for the gaps. After Thursday afternoon the 3rd, the surf quality drops off a cliff. From the 4th of September through the rest of the forecast, the conditions turn poor. We get some cross-shore and onshore winds, drops in swell size, and a lot of readings that are just not surfable. There’s a long stretch there where it’s not worth paddling out, with swell dropping as low as 1.0 ft and choppy winds.

Before all that, the start of the period is also a no-go. Monday the 24th of August is a write-off. The swell is way too big for this break at 10 ft, with a combined energy of (3663), making it dangerous and not enjoyable. The early morning has a cross-shore wind, but it’s just too much juice.

So, if you’re chasing waves, point your car at Praia Cardoso for Tuesday morning the 2nd of September for the best, cleanest, and heaviest waves on offer. Thursday morning the 3rd is your backup. The rest of the two weeks, you’re better off checking the forecast again because it’s a pretty blank run.

Rusty, signing off.

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