Nearby Praia do Pego 1 km · Comporta 10 km · Melides 20 km · Lagoa de Santo André / Praia da Costa de Santo André 23 km · Bico das Lulas, Tróia 23 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
afternoon on typical Nortada days
The wind
locals call it Nortada
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
mixed
fills in: afternoon on typical Nortada days
Typical strength
Roughly 12-20 knots when the summer Nortada is working, with the strongest afternoons touching 20-25. Indicative rather than measured: no station reports for Carvalhal or Troia, and the nearest published monthly figure covers Comporta 5 km north, at about 20 knots in August.
Thermal or synoptic
thermal
The quiver, in words
For a 75-85 kg rider, a 9 m covers most working Nortada afternoons from June to September, 7-8 m when it pushes past 22 knots, and 12 m or bigger for the light days in May and early June. Indicative sizes derived from the regional wind range, not from a local log.
Direction to shore
cross-on to side-shore depending on exact wind angle
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan30
- Feb35
- Mar48
- Apr52
- May, riders' month70
- Jun, riders' month66
- Jul, riders' month66
- Aug, riders' month62
- Sep, riders' month58
- Oct47
- Nov37
- Dec34
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
- 10Jan16°
- 11Feb15°
- 12Mar15°
- 12Apr17°
- 13May17°
- 12Jun19°
- 12Jul19°
- 12Aug18°
- 12Sep18°
- 12Oct19°
- 10Nov18°
- 10Dec17°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | From | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30% | 10.1 kt | ENE | 12.2°C | 15.7°C |
| Feb | 35% | 10.5 kt | N | 12.8°C | 15.4°C |
| Mar | 48% | 11.8 kt | NW | 13.8°C | 15.3°C |
| Apr | 52% | 11.8 kt | NNW | 16.2°C | 16.5°C |
| May | 70% | 12.5 kt | NNW | 18.6°C | 16.8°C |
| Jun | 66% | 12.3 kt | NNW | 20.7°C | 19°C |
| Jul | 66% | 11.9 kt | NNW | 22.6°C | 18.6°C |
| Aug | 62% | 12.2 kt | NNW | 22.7°C | 17.6°C |
| Sep | 58% | 11.7 kt | NNW | 20.5°C | 17.7°C |
| Oct | 47% | 11.5 kt | SSW | 19.2°C | 19.1°C |
| Nov | 37% | 10.3 kt | N | 15.9°C | 18°C |
| Dec | 34% | 10.2 kt | ENE | 13°C | 16.6°C |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from weather reanalysis on a 10–25 km grid (2022-2024), not a ground station: reliable for trade and synoptic winds, understates thermal sea breezes and valley winds. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
ERA5 reanalysis grid point (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical weather API — ECMWF ERA5/ERA5-Land reanalysis, not a ground station · 2022-2024
The water
Type
ocean
Standing depth
false
Tides
Mesotidal and moderately exposed; tide and swell both reshape the beach. Kiting is treated as tide-independent here, but low to mid tide gives the widest sand and the simplest launch, and at high tide with swell the beach narrows and the shorebreak gets in the way.
Temperature
20-22°C summer · 15-16°C winter
Wetsuit
Summer shorty or 3/2 if windy; winter 4/3 or warm 3/2 depending on conditions and tolerance.
Currents
Open Atlantic currents are a real concern here. The rip pattern is unconfirmed.
Your level
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
2 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: Big launch and landing area on a wide beach. The pinch point is the crowded sand directly in front of the car park in July and August, not the beach itself.
Somewhere else
Praia do Pego, 1 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Wide sandy beach with dunes and a central lifeguarded bathing area in season, with parking, showers and food behind the sand. The stretch straight in front of the car park fills with beach-goers in summer, so walk north or south for rigging room, and stay clear of swimmers, the surf school and the protected dune vegetation.
Space
Big launch and landing area on a wide beach. The pinch point is the crowded sand directly in front of the car park in July and August, not the beach itself.
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Rig outside the flagged swimming zone: the bathing season runs 30 May-30 September and sliding sports are banned inside the bather area (2026).
- Check Pego before you commit, and drive the one to two kilometres south if the breeze looks cleaner there.
- Do not read kite difficulty off how friendly the surf school is; wind plus shorebreak is a different risk.
- Read the flags and the wind on the sand, not just the morning forecast.
- Pack a 3/2 for breezy afternoons even in summer: the water sits at 20-22 C.
- Walk north or south from the car park. The sand in front of it is the busiest part of the beach in summer and the worst place to rig.
- Bring a 12 m. May and early June often sit under the size the summer reputation implies.
Getting there
Airport
Lisbon Airport (LIS)
Route
Drive from Lisbon via A2/A12 and Alcácer do Sal toward Carvalhal, or use the Setúbal-Tróia ferry route when convenient. Public transport is indirect; a car is the practical option for moving between beaches.
Transfer
75-95 minutes by car in normal traffic
Cost level
high
Staying
Boutique hotels, villas, rural stays and upscale rentals around Comporta and Carvalhal; less expensive stays are more likely in Grândola or Santiago do Cacém.
No-wind days
surf lessons at Carvalhal · beach restaurants · walks through dunes and pine/rice-field landscapes · Praia do Pego · Carrasqueira stilt pier · Tróia Roman ruins · Sado Estuary dolphin watching
Photos
FAQ
When is the best time to kite at Carvalhal?
The regional Nortada supports a May-to-September summer pattern from the north or northwest, usually filling in during the afternoon.
Is it suitable for beginners?
Kite-specific beginner suitability was not confirmed; for kiting it should be treated as an exposed Atlantic intermediate-and-up spot unless a local school or rescue arrangement confirms otherwise.
Are there rules or restricted zones?
Carvalhal is an official coastal bathing beach from 30 May to 30 September 2026; riders should launch away from the supervised swimming zone.
What hazards should riders know about?
Expect open Atlantic surf, currents and shorebreak on bigger swell.
Last updated: August 2026