Reef

both

Level 7/10

Palmeira

Sal, Cape Verde

🪸Sharp reef🌀Strong rips

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Palmeira is a powerful reef break near the fishing port on Sal's west coast. The wave handles bigger swells than many other spots on the island, producing heavy barrels when conditions align. The fishing village atmosphere adds authenticity to the experience.

Palmeira surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today4

Poor

1.4mN@12s

11km/h

1.4m@12s

11km/h

Thu5

Poor

0.7mNNW@12s

18km/h

0.7m@12s

18km/h

Fri6

Poor

1.1mNNW@13s

25km/h

1.1m@13s

25km/h

Sat7

Poor

1.1mNNW@12s

27km/h

1.1m@12s

27km/h

Sun8

Poor

0.7mNNW@12s

21km/h

0.7m@12s

21km/h

Mon9

Poor

1.4mNNW@15s

22km/h

1.4m@15s

22km/h

Tue10

Poor

2.2mNNW@14s

19km/h

2.2m@14s

19km/h

Wed11

Poor

1.8mNNW@12s

19km/h

1.8m@12s

19km/h

Thu12

Poor

1.5mNNW@11s

15km/h

1.5m@11s

15km/h

Fri13

Poor

1.2mNW@11s

16km/h

1.2m@11s

16km/h

5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: MorningAM 7 km/h · PM 13 km/h · Tide at 10am (0.2m)

Swell

1.4m

N(349°)

Score: 5/25

Period

12s

Mid-period swell

Score: 6/25

Wind

11km/h

ENE(59°)

Score: 12/25

Weather

28°C

0.2mm40%

First light 6:00amSunrise 6:30amSunset 5:59pmLast light 6:29pm

Windswell

—

Secondary

0.3m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.4m @12s N in window

Wind11 km/h ENE cross-shore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 6:00–7:09am · droppingStrike window: 2:05–6:29pm · through highIdeal tide: 0.5–2.0m

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°

28°

30°

29°

27°

25°

28°

30°

27°

26°

29°

31°

28°

26°

30°

32°

29°

27°

30°

33°

32°

29°

26°

29°

32°

29°

26°

29°

31°

30°

28°

26°

28°

30°

29°

28°

25°

29°

30°

28°

26°

28°

30°

28°

27°

3m1.5

sec

12s

13s

12s

15s

14s

12s

11s

swell

windkm/h

7g9

7g17

11g25

16g29

11g27

11g15

16g27

17g32

21g37

23g36

20g28

25g39

27g45

26g45

23g38

20g29

26g40

31g49

31g52

25g49

17g29

19g30

26g44

23g43

20g39

19g30

22g34

25g43

22g43

19g39

14g20

17g29

20g36

21g39

20g39

15g25

17g30

19g35

21g37

21g38

11g23

13g26

15g29

16g31

17g31

11g22

15g28

17g31

17g32

16g31

tidem

3:55am0.8m

10:30am0.2m

4:45pm0.7m

10:30pm0.2m

4:56am0.8m

11:15am0.1m

5:36pm0.7m

5:43am0.8m

11:56am0.1m

6:16pm0.8m

6:30am0.8m

12:30pm0.1m

6:54pm0.8m

12:56am0.1m

7:12am0.8m

1:07pm0.1m

7:35pm0.9m

1:36am0.1m

7:50am0.8m

1:42pm0.0m

8:07pm0.8m

2:10am0.0m

8:30am0.8m

2:12pm0.1m

8:36pm0.8m

2:43am0.0m

9:00am0.7m

2:42pm0.1m

9:10pm0.8m

3:19am0.0m

9:30am0.7m

3:16pm0.1m

Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

3:55 am

High · 0.81m

10:30 am

Low · 0.21m

4:45 pm

High · 0.68m

10:30 pm

Low · 0.24m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Poor

Components

Swell Direction8/25

Swell Size5/25

Swell Period6/25

Wind12/25

Raw Score31/100

Adjustments

🌊 Tide+1

💨 Gusty Wind-4

📉 Undersized Swell-8

🚫 Undersized Capmax 64

Adjusted Score20/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score20

🌊 Partly in the tide window

Plan Your Strike

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

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Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.4m @12s N in window

Wind11 km/h ENE 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: NW (315°)
Direction range: 280° - 350°
Size range: 1.5m - 4m
Ideal size: 2.6m - 3.4m
Height multiplier: 0.97×
Ideal period: 16s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: E (90°)
Offshore range: 60° - 130°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide: mid
Optimal range: 0.5m - 2m

Water temp

23°C

Wetsuit

Springsuit / 2mm

Difficulty

7/10

Crowd level

3/10

Access: 30min from Santa Maria. Works on bigger swells.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is Palmeira?

Palmeira is a reef break in Sal, Cape Verde, with peaks that run both left and right.

What swell works best at Palmeira?

Palmeira picks up swell from the W round to the N, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the NW. It starts working at around 1.5m and handles up to about 4m, with the sweet spot around 2.6 to 3.4m. Period matters too: aim for 16s or longer, as anything under 12s 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 Palmeira?

An E wind is dead offshore at Palmeira, and anything from the ENE round to the SE keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 6am to 11am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.

What tide is best at Palmeira?

Palmeira is at its best around mid tide, roughly 0.5m to 2m on the local chart.

When is the best time of year to surf Palmeira?

The most reliable run of swell at Palmeira comes Oct to Mar. There's a second window in Apr and Sep too. Winter NW swells. 30min from Santa Maria. Works on bigger swells.

How cold is the water at Palmeira?

The water at Palmeira averages around 23°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 Palmeira good for beginners?

Not really. It's rated 7/10 for difficulty and suits experienced surfers. The lineup is usually quiet (crowd 3/10). 30min from Santa Maria. Works on bigger swells.