Prainha Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, let’s break it down. The next week to ten days looks pretty lean, with a lot of small, messy surf. But if you wait it out, there’s a couple of proper days lined up.

Starting now, it’s a flat start. Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd have waves around 2ft to 3ft, but the conditions are poor – not worth the paddle. Monday and Tuesday are more of the same, just tiny and uninspiring.

The first real chance comes Wednesday morning the 5th. Still small at 2ft, east swell with a period of 8 seconds, but the wind is offshore from the WSW, keeping it clean. It’s ordinary, but you can scratch around on a log.

Thursday the 6th morning offers a glassy 2ft, still nothing special but at least it’s not choppy.

Then we hit a blank stretch. From the 7th through the 10th, the surf mostly stays poor, with waves even smaller. There is a pulse of energy on the afternoon of the 7th (112) and again on the afternoon of the 8th (103), but the wind is onshore or cross, so it’s messy.

Now, here’s the turnaround. Tuesday the 11th is the standout. Prainha (Cascais) gets a clean 3ft swell from the southeast with a very long period of 14 seconds – proper groundswell. The combined energy is 253 – moderate but quality. The wind is glassy all day. Expect clean lines and decent shape, though the lineup might have a few heads. For an advanced break like this, the long period will make the reef work nicely.

Wednesday the 12th gets blown out with strong cross-shore winds, and Thursday is a write-off.

Saturday the 15th sees swell building to 5ft in the morning (energy 452) and 5ft in the afternoon (energy 537) – moderate to strong – but the wind is cross-onshore, making it bumpy and marginal.

The big one lands Sunday the 16th. The morning session delivers 6ft from the south-southeast with a 12-second period and combined energy of 1260 – that’s powerful stuff. Offshore wind from the southwest keeps it clean. This is excellent for experienced surfers. The swell direction lines up perfectly with Prainha’s southerly exposure, and the size is right in the zone for advanced riders. The afternoon drops off quick, so be on it early.

Bottom line: the first week is mostly a bust. Tuesday the 11th is the first quality clean day with long-period groundswell. Sunday the 16th is the bomb – solid 6ft, offshore wind, and heaps of energy. That’s your best bet.

Rusty.

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