Conditions at Carcavelos in September
September: The Transition Back to Life
September is the first glimmer of the autumn revival. Average swell height ticks back up to 1.5m (5ft) and the period climbs to 10.5 seconds - noticeably longer and more organized than July or August. The direction mix is still very NW-leaning: 42.1% from NW, 25.7% from NNW and 18.7% from WNW. However, the first S/SW/WSW groundswell events of the autumn begin to appear; while this sector totals only around 3.5%, those swells carry more period and hit Carcavelos much more directly than the dominant NW windswell.
The winds become more favorable too. NNW decreases to 43.0%, and the N/NE offshore quadrant improves, pushing ideal surf wind to 49% - the best of the year along with January and February. With water temperature still warm at 18.4°C and air averages around 19.9°C, September is one of the most pleasant months to surf Carcavelos. Rain starts to pick up at 0.89 mm/day and the first Atlantic lows are brewing. When one sends a long-period S/SW swell into the bay under a N/NNE wind, the summer flat spell is officially over.
Average Spot conditions at Carcavelos in September
Swell history for September
Wind history for September
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Carcavelos during September. 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 Carcavelos for your next trip in September.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Carcavelos for September. 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 Carcavelos.