Conditions at Mundaka in October
October: The North Atlantic Roars Back
October is the true turning point on the Basque coast. The average swell jumps to 5ft (1.5m) and the period expands to 11.1s, as the North Atlantic storm track begins to organize and send long-period pulse after long-period pulse toward Europe. NW swell again leads the way at 43.5%, with WNW at 22.4% and NNW 10.8%, producing a spread of waves from 2-8ft (0.5-2.5m). Mundaka's left begins to show its classic thickness again as the lower tides begin to align with the heavier water.
The wind stats are the best of the entire year: ideal wind blows 30% of the time. Southerly winds dominate the surface flow-S at 10.4%, SSW at 9.1%, with SE/SSE adding more offshore influence-creating the perfect grooming on the wave face. October also sees the first genuine cold fronts sweeping through the Bay of Biscay, and when one passes, the combination of fresh SW winds and rising NW swell is electric. Air temperatures average 16.7°C, water temperature is still 18.4°C, so barreling days can be had in a light wetsuit. This is when Mundaka truly comes back to life.
Average Spot conditions at Mundaka in October
Swell history for October
Wind history for October
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Mundaka 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 Mundaka for your next trip in October.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Mundaka 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 Mundaka.