
Surf Forecasts:
Prainha surf forecast from 12 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 13 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 16s period, SE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 17 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 9s period, E swell with 251 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 12 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 12s period with SE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Prainha this week:
The surf forecast for Prainha over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Prainha in the next 16 days are 1.3m 9s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 17) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (-03) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Wed 12th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Thu 13th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Mon 17th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Prainha over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, grab your board and listen up. Rusty here with the outlook for Prainha.
Alright, so this is a strange run, to be honest. The next few days are a mixed bag with some clean windows but nothing that'll get you firing out of bed. The real standout is way down the line, and that’s the one to keep an eye on. There’s a lot of "ordinary" conditions to wade through first.
The Early Days
Wednesday morning (12th August) is surfable but nothing special. We've got small 2ft swell coming from the SE with a 12-second period. The energy is weak (149), but the silver lining is the glassy conditions with a light NW wind. The water is at 68°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s about it though, because that afternoon turns into a cross-on mess.
Thursday morning (13th August) is your early bright spot, but it’s a short one. The swell is still 2ft from the SE, but the period jumps to a very long 16 seconds. This is proper groundswell energy (239) and with absolutely no wind, it’s going to be glassy perfection. This long period will make for well-shaped lines at Prainha (exposed S-facing reef/beach break), though at this size it will be gentle. This is the best bet in the first week.
After that, the week drops off badly. Friday through Sunday looks poor. The wind is onshore or messy, swell gets shorter period and smaller. We’re looking at a blank run from Friday afternoon right through to Sunday.
Monday morning (17th August) brings another glimmer. We get 4ft from the E with a short 8-second period, but the wind is glassy again. The energy is moderate (246). It’s a short window before the onshores return.
The Second Week & The Standout
The middle of next week is mostly messy with onshore winds and short-period slop.
Now, mark your calendar for Tuesday morning, 25th of August. This is the one to wait for. We’re looking at 2ft from the SE, but with a very long 16-second period again. The combined energy is solid (284). The wind is a clean cross-off from the SSW, so the wave faces will be clean and lined up. It’s a proper morning session, but be aware the crowd factor at Prainha can be a thing – sometimes it gets busy, so get there early.
Then, the real heavyweight pops up on Wednesday morning, 26th of August. The swell bumps up to 7ft from the SSE with a short 9-second period. This is a big pulse of power with energy hitting 1012 – that’s a serious amount of water moving. This is strictly for the experts; 7ft with that period will be a heavy, grinding wall. The wind is a light cross from the SSE, so it’s not going to be clean perfection, but the power is undeniable. This is an experts-only option.
The outlook finishes with Thursday (27th August) back to small glassy 2ft surf.
So, to sum it up: Thursday morning (13th August) for the glassy lines, and Tuesday morning (25th August) for the clean long-period swell are your best bets. The big 7ft pulse on the 26th is for the brave only.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 24mm), heaviest during Fri night. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri afternoon, min 13°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Warm (max 20°C on Sat night, min 18°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 16 | SE 15 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 14 | SE 13 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
148 | 144 | 126 | 239 | 212 | 109 | 59 | 125 | 144 | 93 | 105 | 138 | 138 | 169 | 187 | 241 | 224 | 219 | 175 | 220 | 126 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | glassy | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on |
High Tide | 3:08PM1.36m | 2:52AM1.29m | 3:42PM1.32m | 3:27AM1.33m | 4:14PM1.26m | 4:02AM1.33m | 4:44PM1.18m | 4:38AM1.28m | 5:12PM1.10m | 5:17AM1.19m | 5:41PM1.02m | 6:01AM1.08m | 6:13PM0.94m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:59PM0.49m | 8:52AM-0.00m | 8:49PM0.45m | 9:11AM0.02m | 9:04PM0.38m | 9:33AM0.07m | 9:28PM0.32m | 9:59AM0.15m | 9:59PM0.28m | 10:27AM0.25m | 10:32PM0.27m | 10:56AM0.37m | 11:08PM0.31m | ||||||||
6:45 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | |
— | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 4 | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 14 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 18 |
Feels °C | 14 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 19 | 19 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 16 | SE 15 | SE 13 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 |
148 | 144 | 126 | 239 | 212 | 109 | 35 | 49 | 59 | 93 | 105 | 138 | 138 | 169 | 187 | 241 | 224 | 219 | 175 | 220 | 126 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | E 4 | ENE 4 | E 5 | E 5 | ENE 6 | SE 13 | SE 14 | SE 13 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | SE 11 | SE 12 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 6 |
1 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 59 | 125 | 144 | 53 | 35 | 19 | 12 | 3 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 33 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 7 | E 7 | — | — | SE 3 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | E 9 | E 16 | — | E 12 | E 13 | E 13 | — | SSE 12 | — | — | — | S 9 |
— | 1 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 16 | 5 | — | 12 | 12 | 12 | — | 15 | — | — | — | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 2 | SSE 4 | S 6 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 15 | 66 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 121 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 28 | 4 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 0 | 73 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Santa Catarina - Norte | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Brazil | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Prainha Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Prainha provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Prainha can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Prainha 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 (Prainha) 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 Prainha 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.
Prainha is 14 km (9 miles) from Sao Francisco do Sul. If you plan a holiday in Santa Catarina - Norte, look for hotels and other accommodation in Sao Francisco do Sul. Sao Francisco do Sul has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











