Cidreira • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (May - July)

The South Atlantic roars to life during the autumn-to-winter transition, and Cidreira's east-southeast exposure is right in the firing line. This is when long-period groundswell from the E/ENE/ESE window becomes more consistent, average swell heights hold in the 5.6-5.9ft (1.7-1.8m) range, and the average period stretches to 9.3-9.7s. Just as important, the semi-permanent South Atlantic High loses some of its grip, allowing cold fronts to sweep through and swing winds offshore from WSW/W/WNW/NW more often. Ideal wind frequency peaks at 30-34% from May through June and remains high in July. This is the most reliable period for clean, lined-up surf at Cidreira: punchy, powerful and far less chopped up than the summer months.

Fair Surf Season (April, August - September)

April is the gateway month, with the average wave period climbing to 9.1s, ideal winds at 22%, and the swell spectrum broadening from pure ENE/E windswell toward more S/SSE energy. August and September offer the biggest raw surf - September's average of 6.6ft (2.0m) is the largest of the year - but the trade winds regain strength as the pressure gradient tightens. Ideal wind times drop back to 22% in August and 15% in September, so there are plenty of solid, powerful swells, many of them windblown. The golden rule for fair season is to chase the post-frontal windows: after a cold front pushes through, west-to-northwest offshore flow can turn a lumpy, big swell into memorable waves.

Low Surf Season (October - March)

From October through March the South Atlantic High locks in a classic summertime trade-wind regime. NE/ENE winds blow at 20-40kph for large parts of each month, while the average swell period drops to 8.1-8.6s and the wave spectrum becomes dominated by shorter-period ENE/E/ESE windswell. Average heights still reach 5-6ft (1.5-1.8m), but the quality ceiling is low because the bad-wind directions (ENE/E/ESE/SE) and the swell direction are the same. Ideal offshore wind percentages bottom out at just 12-18%. Surfable days certainly exist - especially after a frontal system breaks the trade flow - but consistent, high-quality surf is the exception rather than the rule.