Angourie • Statistics for September

September: Spring Swings and Mixing Energy

September is a transition month and it shows in the numbers. The average swell height is 4-5ft (1.4m), the period backs off to 8.7s, and ideal wind drops to 43%. Swell direction becomes more evenly distributed, with SSE (20.0%), SE (13.9%), E (11.6%), ESE (11.2%), NE (10.6%) and ENE (9.3%) all well represented. The return of NE and ENE swell signals the start of the spring/summer trade-wind regime, but there is still enough E/ESE energy to keep the beach breaking.

Wind quality is more variable. NNW winds are the single largest category at 15.3%, while S (8.6%), SSE (8.2%) and the NE-E quadrants all compete for air time. Offshore flow from the W/SW quadrant is present but less dominant: W (7.0%), WSW (5.6%), WNW (5.7%) and SW (4.1%) total around 22%. Water temperatures begin to warm from the winter minimum, sitting at 20.3°C, and air temps average 18.2°C. September can still produce excellent waves, especially when an East Coast Low or Tasman low spins up and delivers a clean E swell with W/NW winds, but you have to work for the windows.