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South Africa- Sunset Reef
Conditions at Sunset Reef in April
April: The Cool Season Engine Warms Up
April is where the surf year really starts to build momentum. Average swell height rises to 2.4m (8ft) and the period jumps to 12.2s, a solid long-period signal. The dominant swell directions remain SSW and SW, with those two lobes contributing roughly 43% of the wave energy, but there is also a meaningful WSW component at 7.6%, which points more directly into Sunset's window. This is the first month where W and WNW swells begin to show up more consistently, albeit still small. The wind distribution is more balanced than summer: SE still leads with 26.4%, but SSE drops to 15.3% and NNW rises to 11%, reflecting the passing winter fronts. The clean-wind score improves to 18%, giving surfers more opportunities for groomed, glassy conditions between frontal systems. Air temperatures cool to 17.7°C on average, water drops to 16.5°C, and rainfall increases to 1.24mm per day, signalling the approaching winter.
Average Spot conditions at Sunset Reef in April
Swell history for April
Wind history for April
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Sunset Reef during April. 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 Sunset Reef for your next trip in April.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Sunset Reef for April. 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 Sunset Reef.