Ingonish Beach • Statistics for February

February: Brutal Cold, Big Water

February is the most visually intimidating month on the calendar. Average swell remains heavy at 5-6ft (1.7m), and the 7.5-second period is backed by a relentless WNW-NNW windswell engine. Swell from NNW alone accounts for 12.1%, with NW close behind at 9.1%; it is a month of northwesterly energy grinding through the Gulf. The wind is also strongest and most consistent from WNW (18.7%) and W (14.9%), which is offshore for Ingonish, yet the ideal-surf wind percentage drops to just 19% because cold, unstable Arctic outflow often makes the ocean bumpy and hard to read. When a proper NE/ENE/E swell sneaks in, a combined 10.3% of the spectrum, the beach can fire, especially if the wind clocks around to WSW or SW. Water temperature plummets to -0.8°C, air temps average -6.5°C, and winter storms keep precipitation high near 3 mm/day. This is heavy winter surf for experienced chargers only; the reward is the chance at some of the most powerful, thumping surf Ingonish sees all year.