Los Patos seasonal overview
Best Surf Season (October - March)
From October through March, Los Patos sits squarely in the path of the North Atlantic storm machine. The climatological uptick in extratropical cyclone activity across the eastern Atlantic is the engine behind this six-month window. Swell heights average 5-6ft (1.5-1.9m) and periods regularly run 11.6-12.7s, putting the spot right in the powerful long-period zone. The direction distribution is heavily anchored in the N/NW/NNW quadrant, and when a transient high pressure ridge or low pressure passage allows the wind to swing into the WSW/SW/SSW/S offshore quadrant, the lines groom into clean, hollow walls. Negative phases of the NAO are often the wildcard, pushing the storm track farther south and aiming more groundswell at this NNW-facing beach.
Fair Surf Season (April and September)
April and September are genuine shoulder months. April still sees an average swell of 5ft (1.6m) at 11.0s, but the NE flow strengthens and the clean-wind percentage drops to 16%, so quality is hit-or-miss. September sees the Atlantic begin to wake up after summer, with period climbing to 10.3s and NNW energy returning to the mix while water temperatures are still near their warmest. In both months you can score solid waves, but picking the right wind window is the key.
Low Surf Season (May - August)
May through August marks the summer low season. The Azores High bulges northward, deflecting the storm track away from the region and reducing average swell heights to 4-4.5ft (1.2-1.4m). Periods drop to between 8.1 and 9.9s, meaning the surf is increasingly dominated by shorter-period, trade-wind-driven windswell. The swell direction also shifts toward NNE/NE, an angle that is less efficient for Los Patos than the true NNW/NW groundswell it loves. The saving grace is warm water and long daylight, and occasional late-summer S/SW offshore wind windows, especially in August, make small clean sessions possible.