Conditions at El Porto in September
September: Tropical Leftovers and the First Hint of Fall
September is a month of warm-water transition. Average swell height remains 2.5-3ft (0.8m), but the 12.6s average period is one of the longest of the year. The swell mix includes SSW at 13.0%, SW at 35.9%, and WSW at 38.8%, with W increasing to 11.1%. Hurricanes and tropical storms well south of California can add pulsey, long-period SW/SSW energy, while the first North Pacific westerlies of the season begin to show up on the charts. Most waves are still small, but the possibility of a 3-5ft (1-1.5m) tropical groundswell makes September a bit of a sleeper month.
Wind quality improves slightly from summer, with ideal offshore conditions 30% of the time. WSW remains the dominant wind direction, but the NNE/NW quadrants start to gain ground, signaling the fall transition. Air temperature averages 22.9°C, water temperature is at its warmest of the year at 17.8°C, and precipitation stays minimal at 0.11mm/day. If a hurricane swell aligns with light offshore flow, El Porto can serve up surprisingly fun, lined-up waves before winter takes over.
Average Spot conditions at El Porto in September
Swell history for September
Wind history for September
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at El Porto during September. 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 El Porto for your next trip in September.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at El Porto for September. 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 El Porto.