Conditions at Tonel in February
February: Deep Midwinter Groundswell
February keeps the North Atlantic engine running at full tilt. Average swell height holds at 2.4m (8ft) and average period is 12.9s, so Tonel continues to see serious groundswell. The NW quadrant leads again, with NW at 23.6%, WNW at 16.8% and NNW at 11.4%, while W adds 4.3% and WSW/SW another 2.1%. That mix is ideal for the west-facing exposure, especially when the swell angle trends W or WNW. The wind is a little less cooperative than January, with ideal offshore flow from the E/NE quadrant only 20% of the time. The dominant wind direction is NNW at 24.4%, and strong NNW pulses in the 20-40kph range are common; these tend to make the surface lumpy and reduce the clean-session count. However, winter high pressure can still lock in light offshore E/ESE winds for days at a time. With air temps around 13.7°C and water at 15.3°C, February rewards the dedicated surfer who is willing to wait out the wind.
Average Spot conditions at Tonel in February
Swell history for February
Wind history for February
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Tonel during February. 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 Tonel for your next trip in February.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Tonel for February. 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 Tonel.