Beach

left

Level 7/10

Itacoatiara

Niterói, RJ, Brazil

👥Crowded🪨Rocks👊Localism

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Itacoatiara is the most powerful wave in Rio de Janeiro state, a heavy beach break wedged between dramatic granite boulders on the coast of Niterói. The "Costão" section at the south end produces the hollowest barrels, fast lefts that barrel over shallow sand with impressive force. The spot has hosted international competitions and is known for producing some of Brazil's best tube riders. The setting is stunning, with Sugar Loaf-like rock formations framing the lineup.

Itacoatiara surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today5

Poor

0.7mESE@7s

8km/h

0.7m@7s

8km/h

Fri6

Poor

1.0mSSW@9s

11km/h

1.0m@9s

11km/h

Sat7

Poor

0.9mS@9s

10km/h

0.9m@9s

10km/h

Sun8

Poor

1.5mS@12s

22km/h

1.5m@12s

22km/h

Mon9

Poor

2.4mS@11s

13km/h

2.4m@11s

13km/h

Tue10

Poor

2.0mS@12s

16km/h

2.0m@12s

16km/h

Wed11

Poor

1.4mSSE@10s

17km/h

1.4m@10s

17km/h

Thu12

Poor

1.0mSE@10s

14km/h

1.0m@10s

14km/h

Fri13

Poor

1.2mESE@10s

10km/h

1.2m@10s

10km/h

Sat14

Poor

0.6mSE@10s

12km/h

0.6m@10s

12km/h

5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: MorningAM 6 km/h · PM 10 km/h

Swell

0.7m

ESE(112°)

Score: 2/25

Period

Short period

Score: 2/25

Wind

8km/h

WNW(295°)

Score: 18/25

Weather

31°C

0.0mm88%

First light 4:34amSunrise 5:04amSunset 6:07pmLast light 6:37pm

Windswell

0.1m@1s

Secondary

0.3m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell0.7m @7s ESE in window

Wind8 km/h WNW cross-shore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 7:09am–6:37pm · through highIdeal tide: mid to high

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

°C

24°

31°

37°

33°

26°

23°

25°

26°

24°

22°

28°

30°

28°

24°

23°

21°

19°

22°

21°

19°

23°

24°

22°

20°

24°

23°

22°

25°

26°

25°

23°

22°

25°

26°

25°

24°

22°

25°

26°

25°

24°

3m1.5

sec

12s

11s

12s

10s

swell

windkm/h

8g16

4g14

11g29

7g31

14g26

13g27

12g30

12g33

11g30

9g23

6g14

4g18

12g31

16g38

12g26

20g39

27g61

25g57

21g59

14g41

11g19

14g34

14g41

8g30

7g13

15g34

19g45

20g45

18g45

8g27

11g28

18g41

25g56

22g59

7g26

3g22

13g37

24g53

21g57

3g18

3g14

11g27

18g42

12g45

2g11

1g17

12g35

23g52

20g56

tidem

5:35am0.3m

12:12pm1.0m

5:54pm0.5m

6:16am0.3m

12:21pm1.0m

6:30pm0.3m

6:55am0.3m

12:30pm1.1m

7:04pm0.3m

1:00am1.2m

7:30am0.4m

1:00pm1.2m

7:38pm0.3m

1:30am1.3m

8:11am0.4m

1:25pm1.2m

8:13pm0.3m

2:05am1.3m

8:47am0.4m

1:51pm1.1m

8:45pm0.1m

2:40am1.1m

9:12am0.3m

2:25pm0.9m

9:12pm0.0m

3:13am0.9m

9:38am0.3m

2:55pm0.9m

9:45pm0.0m

3:56am0.8m

10:06am0.3m

3:24pm0.8m

Ideal tide (from tide preference)Strike windowNight

Tide times today

5:35 am

Low · 0.31m

12:12 pm

High · 1.04m

5:54 pm

Low · 0.47m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Poor

Components

Swell Direction12/25

Swell Size2/25

Swell Period2/25

Wind18/25

Raw Score34/100

Adjustments

💨 Gusty Wind-5

📉 Undersized Swell-11

🚫 Undersized Capmax 30

Adjusted Score18/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score18

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to GIG, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

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Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell0.7m @7s ESE in window

Wind8 km/h WNW cross-shore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

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Spot Details

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction: SE (135°)
Direction range: 112° - 180°
Size range: 1.2m - 3.5m
Ideal size: 2.2m - 2.9m
Height multiplier: 0.97×
Ideal period: 14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: N (0°)
Offshore range: 315° - 45°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide: mid to high

Water temp

22°C

Wetsuit

Springsuit / 2mm

Difficulty

7/10

Crowd level

8/10

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is Itacoatiara?

Itacoatiara is a beach break in Niterói, RJ, Brazil, that mostly breaks left. It's also a renowned bodyboarding wave.

What swell works best at Itacoatiara?

Itacoatiara picks up swell from the ESE round to the S, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the SE. It starts working at around 1.2m and handles up to about 3.5m, with the sweet spot around 2.2 to 2.9m. Period matters too: aim for 14s or longer, as anything under 10s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.

What wind is offshore at Itacoatiara?

A N wind is dead offshore at Itacoatiara, and anything from the NW round to the NE keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 5am to 10am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.

What tide is best at Itacoatiara?

Itacoatiara is at its best around the mid to high tide.

When is the best time of year to surf Itacoatiara?

The most reliable run of swell at Itacoatiara comes Mar to Oct. Best in autumn/winter.

How cold is the water at Itacoatiara?

The water at Itacoatiara averages around 22°C, so you'll want a springsuit or 2mm. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.

Is Itacoatiara good for beginners?

Not really. It's rated 7/10 for difficulty and suits experienced surfers. It gets busy (crowd 8/10), so mind the pecking order. Heavy local crew, rocky sides.

How do I get to Itacoatiara?

The nearest airport on our list is GIG, then it's roughly a 45-minute drive.

What other surf spots are near Itacoatiara?

The closest breaks we track are Laje do Shock (0.8 km), Piratininga (3.2 km) and Camboinhas (4.9 km), handy when Itacoatiara isn't working. We track 4 spots around Niterói, RJ in total.