Praia do CDS - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (October - April)

The winter months deliver the most consistent swell energy to Praia do CDS, courtesy of a relentless parade of North Atlantic low-pressure systems. Average wave heights consistently exceed 1.5m, with periods regularly pushing into the 12-13 second range — powerful, long-period groundswells that wrap into the beach. The east-northeast-facing orientation means the best swell aligns from the west-northwest to northwest, while a negative NAO index often locks in the ideal offshore wind pattern from the southwest to west. However, during these months, onshore winds from the east-northeast are also common, cutting down the ideal wind window to about 23-35% of the time. Still, when the stars align, this is when Praia do CDS truly fires with pumping, pitching waves.

Fair Surf Season (May & September)

The shoulder months offer a trade-off: smaller, but cleaner surf. Average swell heights drop to around 1.2m in May and 1.1m in September, with periods settling into the 10-10.5-second range — fun-sized, rippable waves on the better days. The likelihood of offshore winds (from the southwest through west) increases to 33-35%, meaning more glassy mornings. However, the swell becomes more windswell-dominated, and the long-period groundswells that make winter epic are less frequent. These months are perfect for groveling on small craft if you time the swell windows.

Low Surf Season (June - August)

Summer is a tough time for consistent surf at Praia do CDS. The North Atlantic storm track retreats northward, and average swell heights hover around 1.0-1.1m with periods under 9.5 seconds — primarily short-period, local windswell. The predominant wind pattern becomes the northerly ‘Nortada’ trade wind, which blows strong and steady (often 20-30+ kph) from the north to northwest. While these winds are not directly onshore (the beach faces ENE), they create a choppy, messy sea state when combined with the weak, short-period swell. Ideal wind days from the west-southwest are rare, dropping to around 26-27% of the time. Only the occasional summer groundswell from a southern hemisphere storm or a rare tropical system can salvage a session, but these are few and far between.

June: Summer Windswell

June opens the summer doldrums. Average swell height is 1.1m, period 9.4s — small and often choppy. The swell is overwhelmingly dominated by NW (49%) and WNW (34%), but these are mostly short-period windswell generated by the strong NNW (35%) and N (21%) trades blowing at 10-30 kph. Ideal wind from the west-southwest through west occurs 34% of the time, but these are often light and infrequent. The main issue: the relentless N to NNW wind combined with weak, short-period swell creates a bumpy and messy surface. The beach's east-northeast orientation leaves it somewhat sheltered from straight north wind, but the sea state remains poor. Only rare southern hemisphere groundswells or distant tropical systems can produce clean, rideable waves. For most, it's a month to check other breaks or focus on small-wave gear.