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Surf forecast for Praia da Rocha

Tide
⏱️s.
⚡️kJ
Timezone:
Europe/Lisbon
Forecast updated:
21/06, 19:00
Wind: SN UNITY Atmos
(20260621 18z)
Waves: SN UNITY WAVE
(20260621 18z)
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Timeline

Today Mon 22/06 to Tomorrow Tue 23/06
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Praia da Rocha Surf Forecast Guide

Overview

Praia da Rocha is a long sandy beach in Portimão, best known for the wedgy, hollow left that peels close to the western breakwater by the rivermouth. It is famous for tubes, but it is inconsistent and needs proper swell to turn on. Further west along the beach, there are more peaks with fun lefts and rights.

When It Works

The spot is usable from 0.6 m / 2 ft to 2.4 m / 8 ft. Swell can come from southeast through south to west, with southwest (SW) the optimal direction.

Winter is the main season, with the best period from December to February. The waves break more regularly then, especially around the breakwater left.

Wind and Tide

The offshore wind is northeast (NE). North to northeast is the workable wind window.

It works on all tides, with low tide through near high tide the better window, and a rising tide is better. The peaks further west are better on lower tides.

Local Tips

The breakwater left is usually busy whenever it breaks, and crowds by the jetty are a hazard. The beach has more space to spread out.

It suits intermediate surfers and a wide range of boards, including shortboards, funboards, longboards, fish, SUPs, bodyboards, and bodysurfing. The lineup can feel somewhat reserved, especially when the waves are good.

Water quality can be affected after rain.

Access

There are parking bays by the breakwater on Ave. Rio Arade, along with car-park and roadside options. Some parking is paid.

Facilities include restrooms, showers, camping, a lifeguard, a surf school, and a surf shop.

Surf spots near Praia da Rocha

Praia Meia
Faro District, Portugal
Beach break
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Thu 25
Fri 26
Meia Praia
Faro District, Portugal
Beach break, Jetty break
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Thu 25
Fri 26
Praia de Alvor
Faro District, Portugal
Unknown break
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Thu 25
Fri 26
Praia da Rocha
Faro District, Portugal
Beach break
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Thu 25
Fri 26
Praia do Carvoeiro
Faro, Portugal
Unknown break
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Thu 25
Fri 26

Frequently asked questions

What are good surfing conditions for Praia da Rocha?

Praia da Rocha is usually best with swell from southeast through south to west (SE-S-W), ideally southwest (SW) around 0.6 m / 2 ft to 2.4 m / 8 ft, northeast (NE) offshore wind, and any tide.

Where is the surf spot Praia da Rocha?

Praia da Rocha is a surf spot in Portimão, Faro District, Portugal.

What is the surf break like at Praia da Rocha?

Praia da Rocha is a left-and-right beach break over uneven reef and sand. Expect a moderate crowd and a somewhat reserved lineup.

What season is best for surfing Praia da Rocha?

The main surf season at Praia da Rocha is winter.

What surfing skill level is Praia da Rocha suitable for?

Praia da Rocha can suit intermediate surfers.

Is Praia da Rocha beginner friendly for surfing?

Praia da Rocha is better suited to intermediate surfers.

What surfboards work at Praia da Rocha?

Shortboard, Funboard, Longboard, Fish, Sup, Bodyboard, and Bodysurfing are common choices at Praia da Rocha.

What facilities are available for surfers at Praia da Rocha?

Facilities for surfers at Praia da Rocha: restrooms, showers, camping, lifeguard, surf school, and surf shop.

Is there parking for surfing at Praia da Rocha?

Parking around Praia da Rocha: free parking, paid parking, roadside parking, and car park.

What surf spots are near Praia da Rocha?

Other nearby surf spots are Praia do Carvoeiro, Praia de Alvor, Meia Praia, and Praia Meia.

What swell direction works for surfing at Praia da Rocha?

Praia da Rocha can work with swell from southeast through south to west (SE-S-W); southwest (SW) is usually best.

What swell size works for surfing at Praia da Rocha?

Praia da Rocha usually works with swell around 0.6 m / 2 ft to 2.4 m / 8 ft.

What wind direction is best for surfing at Praia da Rocha?

Northeast (NE) offshore wind is usually best at Praia da Rocha.

What wind direction is offshore for surfing at Praia da Rocha?

Northeast (NE) is offshore at Praia da Rocha.

What tide works best for surfing at Praia da Rocha?

Praia da Rocha can work on all tides. A rising tide is usually better here.

Confidence

Confidence tells you how much the weather models agree on the forecast.

  • High confidence: Models agree closely; forecast is reliable.
  • Medium confidence: Some disagreement; conditions may shift slightly.
    • Low confidence: Models diverge; treat forecast with caution.

We calculate the wind confidence by comparing wind speed, gust and direction from multiple models (like GFS, ECMWF, Arome, and Harmonie) and seeing how closely they match. For wave certainty we compare height, period and direction, also on multiple models. They are weighted, meaning that some models count more than others, depending on how good they are for a certain spot.

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Welcome! If you’re new to surf forecasting, check out this quick guide.

Forecast Table

The forecast table (the section on the page with all the numbers) is designed to pack as much information in the screen as possible. Although intimidating at first, it will help you make informed decisions about the waves faster, trust me :D. The table consists of roughly four sections, time and predictions, wind, waves, and tides:

🔮 Time and predictions section

Here we show the forecast thour and the overall surf quality prediction. This is determined based on the wave, wind and tide quality prediction. These individual predictions can be found on the forecast map.

💨 Wind section

The first row on the table (with the 💨 icon) shows wind speed, direction and gust. The more the wind speed the more aggressive the color (from blue, green, orange to red).

🌊 Wave section

The waves section consists of three rows, one for wave height and direction, one for period and one for wave energy. Our algorithm chooses the "dominant wave" using spot-adjusted surf energy (depth + directional fit). This is usually the first swell partition, but during local storms it can switch to wind waves. If that happens, values are shown in gray and italic.

🌒 Tide section

The tide section consists of a row with the actual heights per hour (measured at the half hour) and a table that displays the flow of the tide and the extremes (lows and highs).

Forecast map

The forecast map consists of arrows. These arrows represent all wave partitions (swell partitions and wind wave partition) and the wind. This allows you to see things like: a secondary swell or wind waves messes up the surf, or the wind is just a tick offshore so very surfable. Click a metric label in the bottom left to bring that arrow to the front — handy when arrows overlap.

Forecast Cheat Sheet

Short on time? Focus on wave energy. It’s the best single metric to gauge how big and powerful the waves will be.

Click any table cell to jump to that forecast hour. The map will update with forecast arrows, so you can see if wind and swell direction are lining up.

Use the table sidebar to switch units for height and speed.

Log your surf sessions to compare forecasts with real sessions and sharpen future predictions.

Models and Updates

Surfnerd blends multiple global and local wind and swell models using advanced interpolation and spatial techniques to create an "ensemble" forecast. Forecasts are refreshed hourly.

Surf Predictions

Our AI-driven algorithm scores surf quality, shown by green, orange, and gray dots. Each forecast hour is rated for wind, swell, and tide quality, then combined into an overall score. Here’s the scale:

Perfect
Good
Average
Bad or No Data

Session logs also feed the algorithm — the more you log, the smarter your forecasts get.

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