Osbourne • Statistics for April

April: Shifting Angles and Cleaner Conditions

April is a transition month in the truest sense. The average swell height eases to 4-5ft (1.4m) and the average period drops slightly to 8.4s, but the directional distribution improves notably. The favorable E, ESE, SE, and SSE window now represents roughly 38 percent of all observed swell-the highest of the colder months-with SSE (12.2 percent), SE (9.2 percent), ESE (8.5 percent), and E (8.2 percent) all showing meaningful gains. S (17.2 percent) and SSW (19.6 percent) still supply the largest swells, but more of the energy is arriving from useful angles. Wind patterns become more mixed: W (7.0 percent), WNW (7.0 percent), NW (5.3 percent), and NNW (10.1 percent) still provide offshore opportunities, yet SW (11.4 percent) and SSW (10.0 percent) are on the rise. The wind is ideal for surfing 28 percent of the time. Water temperature sits at 2.1°C and average air temperature climbs to 2.9°C, making dawn patrol slightly less punishing. April's sweet spot comes from late-season low pressure systems that deliver clean, medium-period swell alongside springtime northwesterly winds.