Picnic Tables • Statistics for November

November: Statistical Peak of the Year

November is the swell climax for Picnic Tables. Average swell height reaches a yearly maximum of 3.3ft (1.0m), the period is a consistent 8.6s, and the swell rose is loaded with ENE at 31 percent, E at 24, NE at 19 and ESE at 5. The 3-5ft (1-1.5m) class is much more prominent, and even the 5-6ft (1.5-2m) category shows up across ENE, E and NE. This is prime groundswell season, driven by mid-latitude low-pressure systems spinning up off the East Coast.

Winds are mixed. NNW and NE both show up in double digits at 11 and 10 percent, with ENE at 12 and E at 11; offshore W/SW winds only account for 13 percent. That means November can be a hit-or-miss month for surface conditions, but when a high-pressure ridge builds in behind a cold front and the wind turns offshore, the E/ENE swell can produce some of the biggest, cleanest waves of the year. Air temps cool to 21.9°C, water drops to 23.9°C, and precipitation is lower at 2.04 mm/day.