Santa Maria • Statistics for March

March: Long-Period Swell and a Slightly Better Wind Mix

March keeps the winter contract alive. The average wave is 1.9m (6ft) at 10.8s, and the swell distribution is actually a touch more favourable than the earlier winter months: NNE contributes 44.5%, NNW 25.9% and N 20.1%, meaning nearly half the swell is from the NNW/N directions that at least have more north in them - a more offshore-aligned wind relationship. A full 11.7% of NNW waves and 11.0% of N waves land in the 1.5-2m (5-6ft) range, with many 2-2.5m (6-8ft) sets from the NNE. Wind is still mediocre, with NNE (46.5%) and NE (40.6%) dominating, but ideal N/NW/offshore flow ticks up to 10% - the best since December. Air and water temps remain stable (21.3°C air, 22.1°C water), and rainfall is minimal at 0.30 mm/day. March is a more promising bet than Jan/Feb for finding a clean window: keep an eye on the pressure gradient across the Canaries for a temporary NNW flow.