Santa Maria • Statistics for November

November: Long-Period Winter Energy Arrives in Earnest

November is when the North Atlantic really begins to roar to life. Average swell height jumps to 1.7m (5-6ft), while the average period hits 11.0s, tying for the highest of the year. This is proper, long-period groundswell, even if the direction is still predominantly NNE (47.1%), N (21.1%), and NNW (18.2%). The wave-height distribution is solid: 23.0% of NNE waves are 1.5-2m (5-6ft), 15.9% are 1-1.5m (3-5ft), and there are some 2-2.5m (6-8ft) sets from both NNE and N. The wind regime, however, reverts to classic winter trades: NE 60.3%, NNE 25.0%, ENE 10.3%, with ideal offshore winds at just 15%. Water temperature is still warm at 26.1°C, air at 25.0°C, and rain moderate at 0.83 mm/day. If the low-pressure train in the North Atlantic lines up and the wind, at least occasionally, backs into the NW, Santa Maria will deliver the best head-high-plus waves of the season.