Careneros • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (December - March)

When the Northern Hemisphere tilts away from the sun, the Atlantic basin responds with a strengthening Azores High and a reinvigorated trade-wind machine. For Careneros, this is the sweet spot. The northeast-facing shore is fed by a relentless stream of NE trade swell, with average waves in the 1.2-1.4m (4-5ft) range and periods hovering around 8-8.3s. The wind picture is just as good: the dry season trades slot into a cross-offshore WNW/NW flow, and ideal conditions are on tap 64-73 percent of the time. This is the most consistent, most rideable, and most user-friendly window of the year.

Fair Surf Season (April, June - August, November)

As the trade swell loses some of its December-January authority, Careneros still offers playful waves through the shoulder seasons. April sees average heights drop to around 1m (3ft), while the summer months of June through August bring a mid-year pulse from the trades, sometimes spiked by storms in the tropical North Atlantic. The waves are generally fun, rippable and in the 1-1.5m (3-5ft) range, though the wet season introduces more cloud, rain and a lower percentage of ideal wind. November is the bridge back to winter: the trades strengthen, the swell window starts to refill, and the odds improve dramatically compared to the autumn lull.

Low Surf Season (May, September - October)

The low season at Careneros is defined not by the absence of swell direction, but by a lack of push and a shift in the wind balance. May, September and October are the months when average wave heights slump to 0.7-0.9m (2-3ft) and the wave period drops into the 7-7.5s range. The Intertropical Convergence Zone creeps north, the trades weaken, and the reliable cross-offshore flow gets diluted by lighter, more variable winds. September and October are also the statistical peak of the Atlantic hurricane season, but for this NE-facing spot those tropical systems often send energy the wrong way or leave behind too little period for the wave to stand up. It is not flat - just small, soft and much less consistent, and you will need a grovel board and patience.