Hobe Sound Public Beach • Statistics for November

November: Peak Swell Height And The Hunt For Clean Wind

November is the crown jewel of the Hobe Sound season. The average swell height reaches the annual maximum at 4ft+ (1.3m), and the average period holds at 8.2s. The NE quadrant is a machine, delivering 28.9 percent of all swell, with ENE adding 24.0 percent and NNE chipping in 14.3 percent. There is also a healthy distribution through the 3-8ft (1-2.5m) range, meaning head-high plus waves are on the table. The problem is that November's wind rose is also the most onshore of the season: NE and ENE winds blow a combined 25.7 percent of the time, and ideal offshore flow is a low 14 percent. This is the classic Florida dilemma: the swell is there, but you have to pick the right day. The good news is that strong cold fronts are frequent, and in the immediate post-frontal period a northwest-to-west wind often grooms the NE swell into clean, rippable walls. With water temps at 26.3°C and air temps at 23.4°C, solid surf with light west winds in November is as good as it gets at Hobe Sound Public Beach.