Windang Island • Statistics for August

August: Late-Winter Groundswell

August continues the winter program with ideal wind at 36%, average period 9.2s and average swell height around 5-6ft (1.6m). SSE and S swells both sit around 16%, with SE at 10% and ENE/NE blocks beginning to return at 7% each as spring approaches. The wave height distribution is still full of 3-6.5ft (1-2m) surf, plus a good share of 6.5-8ft (2-2.5m) sets from the S/SSE direction. The swell often arrives in pulses from strong cut-off lows in the Tasman Sea, and the westerly wind flow remains reliable: W 14.6%, WSW 11.4%, WNW 8.4%, NW 7.6% and NNW 13.9%. It is cold and heavy, but the combination of clean offshore mornings and lined-up S/SE groundswell makes August a quality month for competent surfers. Water temperature reaches its annual minimum of 17.4°C. Air temperatures average 10.1°C (min 0.5°C, max 25.4°C) and rainfall is 2.09 mm/day.