Sebastian Inlet • Statistics for September

September: Hurricane Season Wakes Up

September is where the tide starts to turn. The average swell height climbs back to around 2.5ft (0.8m), and the average period jumps to 9.0s - the highest of the year - signaling the arrival of longer-period tropical and early-autumn swells. The wave rose is loaded with ENE (35.6%) and E (37.5%) energy, and notably the 3-5ft (1-1.5m), 5-6.5ft (1.5-2m) and even 6-8ft (2-2.5m) classes all increase. Hurricanes spinning up in the Atlantic and near the Bahamas are the primary engine, and Sebastian Inlet's east-northeast exposure lines up perfectly. However, favorable wind is still only 18%, and the wind rose shows ENE (15.1%), E (13.1%) and NE (10.8%) blowing onshore with those swell trains much of the time. The classic scenario is a big, powerful ENE swell with stormy east wind; the dream session occurs when a tropical system's outer circulation leaves a west or southwest wind behind.

Water is still very warm at 28.7°C, air averages 26.8°C, and rain is high at 6.18 mm/day. September is a gamble, but the prize is the most powerful surf of the year so far.