Ingonish Beach • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (November - March)

The North Atlantic comes alive from November through March, and Ingonish Beach sits right in the firing line of this Northwest Atlantic storm machine. Deep extratropical lows and Arctic fronts roll through the Gulf of St. Lawrence, driving average surf heights from 1.6m (5ft) up to 1.9m (6ft) with periods sitting around 7-7.5 seconds. The wind regime is dominated by strong W, WNW and NW flow, which is offshore for this east-facing beach, so clean windows are often on offer between systems. The catch is winter: water temperatures hover near or below freezing in February and March, and Arctic air pushes air temps deep into negative territory. When a negative NAO pattern buckles the jet stream and directs strong coastal lows toward Atlantic Canada, Ingonish can light up with punchy, head-high-plus surf. This is the season for serious surfers who are willing to earn their waves in the cold.

Fair Surf Season (April - May & September - October)

These are the transition months, and they offer the best mix of rideable waves and workable conditions. October is the strongest of the shoulder months: the North Atlantic roars back to life as the first serious autumn lows develop, pushing average swell back to 1.4m (4.5ft) while water temps are still a pleasant 12.5°C. September can be a wild card, with hurricane swells capable of overshadowing the small 1.1m average. April and May trade size for cleaner conditions, with lighter winds and an increasing share of swell from the E and SE quadrants. It is fickle, but when the right combination of building swell and offshore wind emerges, these months deliver some of the most enjoyable surf of the year without the brutal winter cold.

Low Surf Season (June - August)

Summer is the doldrums for wave size at Ingonish. Average swell heights sink to 0.7-0.8m (2-2.5ft), periods hover around 6.8-6.9 seconds, and most of the energy is short-period windswell generated by summer breezes rather than organized Atlantic storm swell. The saving grace is the wind: ideal offshore flow from the SW, WSW, W and NW peaks between 42% and 49%, making the beach glassy and clean for much of the summer. Water temps climb from 9.4°C in June to a comfortable 18.7°C in August. Beginners and longboarders will enjoy the gentle, user-friendly peelers, while more experienced surfers should treat summer as a reset period. The real prize is waiting on the distant horizon: the first autumn storms and hurricane swell of September.