Conditions at Madalena do Mar in March
March: A Transitional Giant
March is the last month of meteorological winter and it usually goes out swinging. The average swell remains a solid 7.9ft (2.4m) with a 12.1s period, and the swell rose is still loaded from the NNW/NW quadrant: NNW 23.3%, NW 14.4%, WNW 7.9%, N 6.9% and NNE 6.9%. As the Azores High begins to strengthen, the average period slips from 12.9s to 12.1s, but there are still days of serious, powerful groundswell. The bigger risk in March is wind: ideal offshore conditions drop to 37%, the lowest of the year, because more SW/WSW wind events ride in ahead of spring lows. When the wind does settle into the NNE/NE window, the lineup at Madalena do Mar cleans up quickly and the SSW-facing beach sees some of the best late-season walls. Air temp is 16.3°C, rain 1.29mm/day, and water temp has bottomed out around 17.9°C, so keep the steamer handy.
Average Spot conditions at Madalena do Mar in March
Swell history for March
Wind history for March
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Madalena do Mar during March. 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 Madalena do Mar for your next trip in March.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Madalena do Mar for March. 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 Madalena do Mar.