Ipanema • Statistics for September

September: Plenty of Swell, Wind is the Question

September is a deceptive month at Ipanema. The average swell height ties for the annual maximum at 1.5m (4-6ft) and the average period is still a respectable 10.5s, so there is real size in the water. S (23.7 percent), SSE (23.8 percent) and SSW (5.9 percent) still account for more than half of the swell directions, and over a third of the total distribution falls in the 1.5-2.5m (5-8ft) range. The problem is wind. Ideal offshore conditions drop to 48 percent during September, while E/ENE trade winds blast the beach more than any other direction: E and ENE combine for close to 38 percent of the wind distribution. The result is often a bumpy, cross-shore sea with good energy underneath. Look for the front-passage windows, early mornings and days with N/NNW breezes; those can be excellent. Air averages 21.7°C, water is the coolest of the year at 20.7°C, and rain rises slightly to 2.90 mm/day.