Beliche seasonal overview
Best Surf Season (October - March)
The North Atlantic roars to life from October through March, and Beliche catches the full force of winter. Average swell heights climb from 6ft (1.8m) in October to 8ft (2.4m) in December and January, with periods in the powerful 11 to 13 second range. These are the months when the extratropical storm track delivers the most consistent, heavy Atlantic groundswell. For this SSW-facing beach, the magic is in the direction: when low-pressure systems push far enough south or east, S, SSW, SW and WSW swells angle straight into the bay. A negative NAO pattern is often the golden ticket, steering storms toward Iberia and producing those desired southern quadrants. With offshore N/NE winds blowing over 25 to 30 percent of the time, there are windows of perfection: glassy, long-period waves wrapping into the beach. It can also be stormy, rainy and huge, so choose your days wisely.
Fair Surf Season (April - May and September)
April, May and September are transitional months. The Atlantic still produces surf, but average heights ease to 5-6ft (1.5-1.9m) and periods drop to 10-11s. The prevailing NW/NNW swell direction remains dominant, which is less than ideal for Beliche, yet the lighter winds and warmer water make for fun conditions, especially on the smaller south-swell pulses that show up as storms begin to weaken in spring or reawaken in autumn. September stands out with 33 percent ideal offshore wind and water temperatures near 19.3°C.
Low Surf Season (June - August)
Summer is the most challenging stretch at Beliche. Average swell heights fall to 4-5ft (1.2-1.5m) and periods flatten out to 8-9s, with the wave rose overwhelmingly dominated by short-period NW/NNW windswell. The wind picture is even more discouraging: the regional north wind cranks out of the NNW 50-68 percent of the time, and ideal N/NE offshore conditions drop to 18-23 percent. The surf is often small, lumpy and blown out. With the occasional summer south swell, dawn patrol on a longboard can still be fun, but this is the season for keeping expectations low.