Pontal (Baía Formosa) surf forecast
Baía Formosa · Rio Grande do Norte · Brazil
Today at Pontal (Baía Formosa): waves 0.5–0.7 m, knee to waist around 07:00 (5 s swell), offshore wind. Poor for intermediate surfers, poor–fair for beginners, poor for advanced. Updated 21 Oct, 15:51 UTC.
Pontal (Baía Formosa) surf forecast, next 7 days
The best daylight hour of each day, rated for each level. No day rates Good for intermediate surfers this week.
| Day | Best | Waves | Wind | Beg. | Int. | Adv. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today | 07:00 | 0.5–0.7 m | offshore | Poor–Fair | Poor | Poor |
| Thu 22 | 05:00 | 0.5–0.7 m | cross-offshore | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| Fri 23 | 14:00 | 0.6–0.8 m | cross-offshore | Poor–Fair | Poor | Poor |
| Sat 24 | 05:00 | 0.5–0.7 m | cross-offshore | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| Sun 25 | 05:00 | 0.4–0.6 m | cross-offshore | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| Mon 26 | 05:00 | 0.3–0.5 m | cross-shore | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| Tue 27 | 05:00 | 0.2–0.4 m | onshore | Poor | Poor | Poor |
Model forecast updated 21 Oct, 15:51 UTC. Hour by hour with swell direction, tide and webcams: open the live forecast.
The Pontal is a right that wraps round the rocky point at the north tip of Baía Formosa town and peels west along the beach in front of the houses, on long days into the big bay. E to SE swell bends in, and because the shore faces north the usual S to SE wind blows offshore. World champion Ítalo Ferreira grew up here and the local crew is strong. Beginners stay in the big bay to the west, which has small inside waves at low tide.
- Break
- point break, rights; faces NNE
- Level
- intermediate
- Best swell
- E, ESE, SE, NE
- Best wind
- S, SSW, SW, SE (offshore)
- Best tide
- all tides
- Season
- April-August (SE trade swells); north swells add sessions November-March
- Typical size
- 1-2.5 m
- Crowd
- high
- Hazards
- Rocks at the point where the wave starts; Crowded, competitive local lineup at the Pontal, especially on weekends; Fishing boats moored in the bay in front of town
Best time to surf Pontal (Baía Formosa)
For intermediate surfers the best months are July: in July about 1 days have rideable waves, though they rarely rate good for intermediates. It is rarely small and clean enough for beginners. Experienced surfers looking for size and power: no clear season. Local guides: April-August (SE trade swells); north swells add sessions November-March.
Water 27 °C in July to 30 °C in March: Boardshorts / rash vest all year.
| Month | Rideable days | Good days | Beginner days | Typical waves | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 °C |
| Feb | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 °C |
| Mar | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 °C |
| Apr | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 °C |
| May | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 °C |
| Jun | 0 | 0 | 1 | – | 28 °C |
| Jul | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.9 m | 27 °C |
| Aug | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 °C |
| Sep | 0 | 0 | 1 | – | 27 °C |
| Oct | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 °C |
| Nov | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 °C |
| Dec | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 °C |
Days per month, typical of the last three years of wave and wind model data, rated with the same scale as the forecast. Not a forecast: some years are better than others.
Nearby spots
- Mar Aberto, Baía Formosa
- Sagi, Baía Formosa
- Praia do Amor (Pipa), Tibau do Sul
- Madeiro, Tibau do Sul
- Tabatinga, Nísia Floresta
- Cotovelo, Parnamirim
Questions
When is the best time to surf Pontal (Baía Formosa)?
For intermediate surfers July; in July about 1 days have rideable waves, though they rarely rate good for intermediates. Local guides say: April-August (SE trade swells); north swells add sessions November-March.
What is the water temperature at Pontal (Baía Formosa) and which wetsuit do I need?
The sea ranges from about 27 °C in July to 30 °C in March. Boardshorts / rash vest all year.
Is Pontal (Baía Formosa) good for beginners?
It is best for intermediate surfers (rocks at the point where the wave starts; crowded, competitive local lineup at the pontal, especially on weekends).
What swell, wind and tide work best at Pontal (Baía Formosa)?
E, ESE, SE, NE swell, S, SSW, SW, SE wind (offshore), at all tides. Typical size 1-2.5 m.
Live swell, wind, tide, a 14-day outlook, satellite pictures and webcams for Pontal (Baía Formosa) are in the Surf Spoting app.