Encuentro seasonal overview
Best Surf Season (December - March)
The North Atlantic winter machine points straight at Encuentro from December through March. Low-pressure systems rolling off the US East Coast generate consistent northerly and northeastern energy, and the waverose confirms it: the N, NNE, NE and ENE window accounts for the vast majority of the swell - often above 80% in the core winter months. Average wave heights sit around 1.5-1.6m (5ft) with periods near 9.4s, putting the surf right in that punchy, powerful, rideable range. The catch is the trade winds. Winds from E, ESE and SE dominate, leaving true offshore S-SW flow in short supply, and the 'ideal wind' index is only 19-21%. Still, dawn patrol glass-offs and lighter trade days make the winter months the most consistent and rewarding stretch of the year.
Fair Surf Season (October - November, April - May)
The shoulder seasons are a trade-off between size and wind. October and November mark the return of the North Atlantic swell window, with average periods jumping to 9.1-9.3s and the NE/ENE direction share climbing past 70%. October stands out with a 37% ideal wind score, which is the cleanest of the winter half-year, even if the average height is still a modest 1.2m (4ft). On the spring side, April and May preserve decent ENE/NE direction but the energy fades: height drops to 1.2-1.3m (4ft) and periods fall to 8.1-8.9s. These are excellent months for small-wave boards and foils, especially when the winter trade winds slacken.
Low Surf Season (June - September)
Summer is the quiet season at Encuentro. The Atlantic storm tracks retreat north, and the dominant swell source becomes pure easterly trade windswell. In June and July, 70-75% of all wave energy arrives from due east, well off the optimal N-NNE-NE-ENE window. Periods sink to 7.2-7.4s, and the surf often turns racy, bumpy and windblown. August is slightly better as ENE grows to nearly 40%, and September brings a real autumn transition with the ENE share above 48%, periods climbing to 8.8s and the ideal wind index reaching 39%. Tropical storms and hurricanes can also inject rare, long-period swell. But for consistent quality, June through August is still the annual minimum.