Conditions at Cap Gris-Nez in April
April: Right Direction, Wrong Size
April is a study in frustration. The percent of swell from the optimal north window peaks at 46% - NE 19.9%, NNE 17.4%, NNW 4.0% - but the average height shrinks to 2ft (0.7m) and period sits at 5.2s. The NE/NNE swells that do arrive are overwhelmingly in the 0-2ft (0-0.5m) and 2-3ft (0.5-1m) categories, which translates to small, groveling, short-period surf. Wind adds to the trouble: NNE (12.2%) and NE (12.5%) are the two largest wind directions, combining for nearly 25% onshore chop. True offshore S/SSW/SW flow totals 22%, and the ideal-surf frequency drops to 5%. Air warms to 9°C, water to 9.6°C, and precipitation is the lowest of the year at 1.46mm/day. If you pick your day around a SW offshore and a fading NE windswell, you can snag a fun-sized longboard wave; otherwise April is a beautiful month to look at the sea.
Average Spot conditions at Cap Gris-Nez in April
Swell history for April
Wind history for April
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Cap Gris-Nez during April. Based on historical data, there is a % probability of groundswell occurring this month. The chart below provides a detailed breakdown of the average wave height distribution, offering deep insights into the swell quality and surf potential you can expect at Cap Gris-Nez for your next trip in April.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Cap Gris-Nez for April. Our analysis shows that favorable offshore or side-shore winds coincide with surfable swell approximately % of the time. The accompanying graph illustrates the average size distribution of waves during these optimal wind windows at Cap Gris-Nez.