Faial 80.6
#1826 of 5753 surf spots in the world · 🇵🇹 Portugal · Madeira · near Funchal
Works almost every day, no off season.
Works all yearIntermediate
Surf score80.6 /100
Surfable days98% of the year
Clean days21% groundswell + friendly wind
Groundswell50% period 11 s+
Typical size1.8 m 5.8 ft median
Water20°C a 2 mm shorty
Best time to surf Faial
The best time to surf Faial is January, February, April. The season runs Apr to Apr. In February the water sits around 17°C, so pack a 3/2 wetsuit, and the typical wave is 2.6 m. The nearest airport is FNC (12 km) and the nearest town is Funchal (16 km).
| Month | Surfable | Clean | Size | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 97% | 47% | 2.1 m | 18°C | 3/2 |
| Feb | 96% | 59% | 2.6 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
| Mar | 95% | 14% | 2.4 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
| Apr | 97% | 42% | 2.1 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
| May | 100% | 7% | 1.5 m | 18°C | 3/2 |
| Jun | 98% | 4% | 1.3 m | 20°C | 2mm |
| Jul | 97% | 1% | 1.3 m | 22°C | vest |
| Aug | 99% | 5% | 1.3 m | 23°C | vest |
| Sep | 99% | 20% | 1.5 m | 23°C | vest |
| Oct | 99% | 24% | 1.8 m | 22°C | vest |
| Nov | 95% | 28% | 2.3 m | 21°C | 2mm |
| Dec | 97% | 42% | 2.3 m | 19°C | 2mm |
Why 80.6
Seven parts, each normalised 0 to 1 and weighted; the sum is scaled so the best spot in the world is 100.
Consistency 26%
26.0
Clean days 24%
12.6
Groundswell 12%
9.9
Season spread 10%
10.0
Wave size 8%
5.4
Water comfort 10%
4.9
Access 10%
9.8
The detail
Faces 45° with 50% open water around it. Friendly morning wind 43% of days. Mean peak period 11.1 s. Days over 3 m: 11%. Mellow days (0.4 to 1.2 m): 16%. Months that work: 12 of 12. Coordinates 32.788, -16.844 (OpenStreetMap).
Spots nearby
Porto da cruz🇵🇹 Portugal · score 80.6Machico🇵🇹 Portugal · score 77.5Ponta Delgada🇵🇹 Portugal · score 91.3Cais do funchal🇵🇹 Portugal · score 86.4
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