Conditions at Hondarribia in February
February: One More Push of Winter
February rarely lets the foot off the gas. The average swell remains 2.1m (7ft) and the average period holds at 12.7s, so the Atlantic machine is still driving powerful groundswell into the Basque coast. NW again dominates the wave rose at 31%, with WNW close behind at 26% and NNW adding 10%. The heavier size classes-1.5m to 2.5m (5-8ft)-are packed into the swell distribution, making February one of the most consistent months to score size.
The wind pattern is slightly more westerly than January. S and W each contribute about 10% of the observations, while WNW and NNW are also present around 8-9%. Ideal surf wind runs 31%, and the best set-ups come when a high pressure cell over Iberia funnels southwesterly airflow across the beach while winter swell rolls in from the NW. When the wind stays from the W/SW, the waves are hollow and racey; if it swings northwest, expect blown-out drifts.
With air at 9.0°C and water at 12.3°C-the coldest water of the year-this is a serious wetsuit month. The good news is slightly less rain than January at 3.11 mm/day, giving you more clean windows between frontal passages.
Average Spot conditions at Hondarribia in February
Swell history for February
Wind history for February
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Hondarribia 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 Hondarribia for your next trip in February.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Hondarribia 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 Hondarribia.