- Home
- ...Africa
South Africa- Melkbosstrand
Conditions at Melkbosstrand in October
October: Swell Fades, Cape Doctor Returns
October sees the clear transition into the summer pattern. Average wave height drops to around 8ft (2.4m), period shortens to 11.6s, and while SW swell still dominates at 20.0%, the winter's WSW and W contributions are thinning out (WSW 7.3%, W 1.2%). More of the energy comes from SSW (15.7%) and S (10.3%), which fill the ocean with less aligned, less powerful swell. The days of 8ft-plus groundswell become less common, but 5-8ft (1.5-2.5m) surf is still reliable.
On the wind side, the Cape Doctor is back in full force. SSE jumps to 21.0%, S to 18.5% and SE to 12.3%, with ideal wind at 35%. Air temperatures rise to 16.5°C, rainfall drops to 1.38mm/day, and water temperature holds at 14.7°C. October is a good time for fun, bowling peaks on the better sandbars, especially when a passing front or anomalously deep low injects some intensity into the SW swell lines.
Average Spot conditions at Melkbosstrand in October
Swell history for October
Wind history for October
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Melkbosstrand during October. 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 Melkbosstrand for your next trip in October.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Melkbosstrand for October. 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 Melkbosstrand.