Osbourne • Statistics for February

February: The Coldest, Meanest Groundswell

February holds steady with a 5-6ft (1.7m) average swell height and a punchy 8.7s average period. The swell rose is again dominated by SSW (15.4 percent), SW (10.6 percent), and S (11.1 percent) directions, while the optimal E to SSE window contributes only around 22 percent of the energy. That said, this is prime time for Nor'easters and offshore low-pressure systems to throw strong, long-period swell into the western Atlantic. The wind regime remains winter-like and favorable for clean conditions: WNW (13.9 percent), NNW (12.5 percent), NW (11.9 percent), and W (9.4 percent) are the dominant directions, giving Osbourne a 27 percent chance of ideal offshore or light wind. Water temperature drops to its lowest point of the year at 0.9°C, and the average air temperature is -2.0°C, so you will need the thickest wetsuit, hood, boots, and gloves in your arsenal. With 3.20 mm/day of precipitation, winter storm fronts are a constant companion, but the Northwest winds they leave behind can groom the swell into clean, powerful peaks.