Conditions at Ribeira d'Ilhas in August
August: Summer Lull with Autumn Hints
August remains firmly in the summer lull, but there are faint hints of the season ahead. Average surf height is still just 1.4m (4.5ft), with the period slowly recovering to 8.9s. The waverose is almost identical to July - NNW at 50.7%, NW at 35.1%, WNW at 10.2% - so Ribeira is still dependent on north/northwest-tracking windswell. The wind pattern is also similar: NNW dominates with 54.7%, N follows with 15.0%, and offshore NE, ENE, E and ESE winds are scarce, producing only 14% clean time. The good news is that late August often sees the first long-period pulses of autumn as former tropical systems or early-season lows track through the mid-Atlantic, occasionally adding 10-12s groundswell to the short-period background. Water temps approach the annual peak at 17.8°C, air averages 20.7°C, and rainfall is a dry 0.25mm/day. Patience is required, but the first proper WNW swells can already offer glimpses of the coming season.
Average Spot conditions at Ribeira d'Ilhas in August
Swell history for August
Wind history for August
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Ribeira d'Ilhas during August. 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 Ribeira d'Ilhas for your next trip in August.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Ribeira d'Ilhas for August. 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 Ribeira d'Ilhas.