Long Beach • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (May - August)

The South Atlantic's mid-latitude storm track reaches full maturity during the austral autumn and winter, and that is when Long Beach sees its most serious pulse of groundswell. Average swell heights climb to between 8 and 10ft (2.4-3.0m), while average periods stretch to 12.4-12.6s, putting the bulk of the energy in the powerful, long-period category. The main obstacle is direction. The data show the wave climate is overwhelmingly dominated by the SW, SSW and S sectors, while the true N-WNW-NW window is statistically tiny. Yet these months do offer the highest percentage of post-frontal offshore ESE/SE/SSE winds and the largest share of surfable windows, ranging from 17 to 21 percent. If you wait for a clean S/SW groundswell to meet a light SE offshore flow during a winter cold-front passage, the northwest-facing shore of Long Beach can absolutely light up. Water temperatures drop to 15.0-15.8C, so thicker wetsuits become essential.

Fair Surf Season (March - April / September - October)

The shoulder seasons are transition periods when the storm track is either ramping up or winding down. Swell heights average a solid 7-9ft (2.3-2.7m) with periods of 11.6-12.2s, and the offshore wind percentage remains healthy at 14-20 percent. The strong NW wind component that can plague the winter months is less pronounced, especially in October, while the SE trade stays a constant presence. This is a good time to find clean, manageable waves between the summer wind regime and the winter groundswell, though the truly optimum NNW-NW swell remains rare.

Low Surf Season (November - February)

Summertime at Long Beach means the South Atlantic High is anchored off the coast, driving a strong ESE-SE-SSE airflow for much of the month. The offshore wind direction is present a lot of the time, but average swell heights drop to roughly 7.5ft (2.3m), periods shorten to 11.1-11.4s, and the energy continues to arrive from the SW/SSW rather than the useful N/NNW window. Strong Cape Doctor winds, often blowing 30-50kph, can produce a bumpy, wind-affected playing field, and clean windows shrink to just 12-14 percent. Smaller NW/NNW windswells can occasionally fill in during summer lows, but the consistency and quality are generally at their lowest. Catch the early morning glass-off with an incoming W/SW swell and you can still find fun, punchy summer surf.