Conditions at Ria Formosa in August
August: Waiting for Autumn
August sits near the bottom of the surf calendar: 1.6ft (0.5m) average swell, 6.8s period and an ideal wind score of just 10 percent, the lowest of the year. The swell direction is still overwhelmingly WNW (30.7 percent), NW (20.5 percent) and W (19.6 percent), while WSW and SW are almost negligible. The warmest water of the year, 19.9°C, and an average air temperature of 23.6°C make it tempting, but the energy is mostly short-period windswell and small background swell. Wind is another bottleneck, with NNW at 28.1 percent and the offshore quadrant at a minimum. This is the month to repair boards, watch forecasts and wait for the first September transition.
Average Spot conditions at Ria Formosa in August
Swell history for August
Wind history for August
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Ria Formosa during August. Based on historical data, there is a % probability of groundswell occurring this month. The chart below provides a detailed breakdown of the average wave height distribution, offering deep insights into the swell quality and surf potential you can expect at Ria Formosa for your next trip in August.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Ria Formosa for August. Our analysis shows that favorable offshore or side-shore winds coincide with surfable swell approximately % of the time. The accompanying graph illustrates the average size distribution of waves during these optimal wind windows at Ria Formosa.