Punta de Lobos • Statistics for July

July: Mid-Winter Heavyweight

July keeps its foot on the throat of the Southeast Pacific. The winter storm track does not relent, and Punta de Lobos continues to receive a relentless diet of long-period groundswell. The swell rose shows WSW at 49 percent, SW strengthening to 25 percent, W at 12 percent, and a combined WNW-NW-NNW slot of nearly 5 percent - the broadest, most favourable directional spread of the year. Average height holds at 5-6ft (1.5-1.8m) and the period stays at 12.5s, but the distribution tilts heavy: around 18 percent of waves are 6.5-8ft (2-2.5m), with the over-8ft (2.5m+) category making its most consistent appearances.

A strong S-SSW flow, at 30.5 percent combined, provides frequent offshore cleanups, and ideal surfing wind sits at 64 percent. Yet the pre-frontal N-NNE quadrant remains active, so you will be reading the forecast closely between swells. July is the coldest month on land at 9.5°C (49°F), and ocean temperatures drop to 12.3°C (54°F) - think winter hood and gloves. Rain eases slightly to 2.36 mm/day. In the water, however, the reward is obvious: organized, powerful, long-period waves wrapping into the point with more consistent size than at any other time of year.