Prainha Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s heading our way.

Look, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – the next couple of weeks are looking pretty quiet. We’re stuck in a real flat spell with only small, unremarkable swell bumping in. The best we’ve got is a few mornings that might be worth a look if you’re desperate for a paddle, but nothing that’s gonna get the heart racing.

The main break in the picture is Prainha. Water temp is sitting at 65°, which is just about bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The energy in the water is mostly weak, with the combined energy reading only hitting a moderate 130 on Monday the 20th and a weak 101 on Sunday the 19th. The swell direction is swinging from east to southeast, which isn't the optimum southerly direction this place really wants to fire.

Your best bet across the whole period looks like Monday morning, July 20. It’s not a classic, but with the wind going glassy and the swell nudging 3 ft from the east at 8 seconds, it’ll be clean and surfable. The combined energy is 130 – that’s the highest moderate reading we’ve got. Not a standout in any big sense, but the best of a very average bunch.

Sunday morning, July 19 is similar – 3 ft east swell, light cross-offshore breeze, and a combined energy of 101. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. Tuesday morning, July 21 also offers a clean 3 ft east swell with glassy conditions, but again, it’s nothing special.

Things drop right off after that. We get a bit of a bump on Thursday the 23rd where the combined energy hits 232 from a south-southeast direction, but the wind is a messy cross-shore at 12 mph, so it’ll be choppy. That’s a classic case of swell energy without the quality. Same story on Friday the 24th – 3 ft from the southeast at 164 combined energy, but with a cross-shore breeze.

From Saturday July 26 right through to the end of the forecast on August 3, the swell stays tiny and inconsistent, rarely pushing above 2 ft. A lot of those days have glassy mornings, but with such small waves, it’s really only a longboard or a foiler that’s gonna get any joy. The periods are mostly short too, around 7 to 9 seconds, so there’s no grunt behind them.

One slightly interesting note – Tuesday morning, July 28 sees a long period 14-second southeast swell, but it’s only 1 ft. That’s a classic case of a groundswell that looks good on paper but just doesn’t have the size to make anything of it at a beach break. Combined energy is 100, so it’s borderline moderate.

Prainha is a consistent spot and can handle a bit of swell, but with the direction constantly off the optimum, and the size so small, it’s really a week of small, clean but weak surf. The crowds are sometimes an issue here, but with conditions this average, I wouldn’t expect a packed lineup.

Honestly, if this keeps up, you might be better off leaving the board in the car and just enjoying the beach. The forecasts can change, but for now, this is a real slow run.

Rusty.

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