Explore / Brazil · Pernambuco

Ipojuca.

Now

  · updated 11 hours ago
swell
1.2m
10s
wind
12 kt
southeast
tide
1.13 m
falling
N E S W
▬ swell – wind
-8.55, -34.80
Next days outlook
beta

1-2m south swell at 8-13 seconds peaks Tuesday under moderate southeast wind, dropping to 1-2m Wednesday as wind shifts south-southeast. Thursday eases to 1m at 8-11 seconds with light east-southeast wind, before a fresh 1-2m southeast/south pulse at 7-9 seconds builds Friday under moderate southeast wind. Weekend holds 1.5-1.7m at 7 seconds from east-southeast/south with strong to moderate southeast wind, peaking Monday-Tuesday at 1.8-2.0m at 8 seconds under moderate east-southeast wind, then easing to 1.4-1.5m at 9-12 seconds from south/southeast by Friday with moderate east-southeast wind. Looks like Thursday dawn under light east-southeast wind will be the best window.

Swell height

<7s
7–11s
11–13s
13–15s
15–18s
18+s

 

Wave systems

  • primary
  • secondary
  • tertiary
  • wind sea

 

Power

small
solid / average
energetic
heavy

 

Wind speed

light
moderate
strong
blown out

 

Tide

 

Weather

 

Nearby regions

About Ipojuca

Ipojuca is a Pernambuco coastal municipality 60 km south of Recife and the surf hub of the state. Porto de Galinhas is the headline village, better known for its low-tide reef pools than its waves. Maracaípe, the next beach south, is the open sand break that holds the swell. Praia do Cupe, north of the village, is the long beginner stretch. Reef breaks line the village seafront when a south-east swell wraps in.

This is a trade-wind coast at 8° south. The alísios, the south-east trades, blow most of the year, with August through November the windiest stretch. Working swell is south-east wind swell, 0.8 to 2 m at 8 to 10 s. The longer window is autumn, March through May, when the trades back off and north Atlantic swell wraps the coast at longer periods. West-north-west is offshore. Dawn before the trades fill in is the play.

Water runs 24 to 29 °C every month, so boardies and a rashie. The reefs at Porto de Galinhas cut on a low tide; Maracaípe is sand-bottom but pulls a longshore current as the tide drains. Crowds thin midweek and tourist-heavy on weekends, mostly bodyboarders and longboarders rather than shortboarders. Surf at dawn at Maracaípe before the trades fill. March through May is the cleanest stretch of the year, when the alísios back off and you can paddle out at any sane hour.

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