Yumuri • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (November - March)

Yumuri is a north-facing beach on Cuba's north coast, but the ocean there lives under a relentless easterly trade wind regime. The best surf window is November through March, when average heights climb to 3-3.5ft (0.9-1.1m) and the North Atlantic winter storm track occasionally sends N, NNO/NNW and NW groundswell toward the island. A negative NAO phase can steer stronger extratropical lows farther south, creating the combo of long-period swell and S/SW offshore wind that turns this average stretch of coast into something special. Even so, the dominant swell direction remains ENE, not true north, so much of the winter is a lumpy, cross-shore trade sea. But the wave heights are at their peak and the chances of a proper north pulse are highest.

Fair Surf Season (April - May and October)

April and May are a slow fade from winter, with average surf easing to 2.5-3ft (0.8-0.9m). October is the mirror image: still small, averaging around 2ft (0.7m), but with the Atlantic storm track beginning to spin up again. These shoulder months offer slightly better odds for S/SW offshore winds and more manageable trade-wind conditions, though the swell is usually too short-period to produce much power. If you score a clean window with a light south wind, there are fun, rippable waves on offer-just do not expect barrels.

Low Surf Season (June - September)

Summer is the low season. Water temperatures climb from 27.5°C in June to 29.0°C by September, air temperatures sit in the upper 20s, and the surf settles into a small, groveling 2-3ft (0.6-0.9m) routine. The trade winds are strongest in July and August, with ENE blowing 54-60% of the time and frequent 20-40kph gusts keeping the surface bumpy. Offshore S/SW flow occurs only 7-11% of the time, so clean, lined-up surf is rare. The main exception is tropical activity: a passing hurricane can create a sudden, powerful E/SE swell, but that direction is far from ideal for a north-facing beach.