Orca
Orca (orca.pt) is a Portuguese weather and ocean forecasting platform focused on the Atlantic coast. If you're sailing the Iberian Peninsula, planning a Canary Islands passage, or heading south to Madeira, Orca provides localised data that mainstream apps often miss.
Quick Facts
- Price: Free
- Platforms: Web (orca.pt)
- Best for: Portuguese/Atlantic coast
- Language: Portuguese (manageable with browser translate)
Coverage Area
Orca's primary coverage is the Portuguese coastline and nearby Atlantic waters. It's particularly useful for:
Portuguese Coast
From the Minho River border with Spain down to the Algarve, including Lisbon, Cascais, Peniche, Nazare, and all major harbours. Detailed swell, wind, and current data for every beach and headland.
Atlantic Islands
Madeira and the Azores get good coverage — essential for passage planning from mainland Portugal to the islands. Also useful for Canary Islands approaches from the north.
Nortada Tracking
The Nortada — the strong northerly summer wind along the Portuguese coast — is a defining feature of sailing here. Orca tracks this particularly well and shows when it will strengthen, weaken, or shift. Critical for northbound passages.
Swell & Surf Data
Portugal gets some of the biggest Atlantic swells in Europe. Orca gives detailed swell height, period, and direction data for coastal harbours — critical for deciding whether a bar crossing or harbour entrance is safe.
When to Use Orca
- You're sailing anywhere along the Portuguese coast
- Planning a Canaries passage via Madeira
- Checking bar crossings at Portuguese river entrances (Douro, Tejo, Guadiana)
- Timing a departure against the Nortada
- Checking swell conditions for Atlantic-facing harbours
- You need multi-model comparison for a passage
- You're sailing outside Portuguese/Atlantic waters
- You need detailed pressure chart analysis
- You want to compare ECMWF vs GFS forecasts
Tips for Using Orca
Use Google Translate. The site is in Portuguese, but the data (numbers, wind arrows, charts) is universal. A quick browser translation handles the rest.
Cross-reference swell data with Windy.For Atlantic-facing harbours, check Orca's swell forecast against Windy's wave model. If both agree on 3m+ swell, don't attempt a west-facing bar crossing.
Check sea temperature. Orca shows sea surface temperature data, useful for understanding fog risk (common when warm air hits cold Portuguese coastal waters, especially near Cabo da Roca).
Sailing the Portuguese Coast?
The Portuguese coast is beautiful but demands respect. The Atlantic swell, the Nortada, and the exposed bar crossings at harbours like Nazare and Peniche can be dangerous if you get the weather wrong. Always have Orca bookmarked alongside Windy when sailing these waters, and never cross a bar when in doubt about the swell.