Conditions at Cote des Basques in August
August: Tiny Swell, Warm Sea, Low Expectations
August continues the summer lull with an average swell of 3ft (0.9m) and an average period of 9.4 seconds. NW remains the absolute dominant swell direction at 67 percent, followed by WNW at 26 percent, but the height distribution remains stubbornly small. Around 54 percent of all readings fall in the 0.5-1m (2-3ft) range and the 1-1.5m (3-5ft) class is the only real secondary peak.
The ideal wind window improves only slightly to 21 percent. Wind patterns are similar to July: NNW, NW, WNW and W flow dominate, and the afternoon onshore sea breeze is almost a daily certainty. The saving grace is the surfing environment, water temperature peaks at 22.9°C and air temperatures average 20.8°C. For surfers, August is a classic low-season month: bring a foamie, surf the soft morning peaks, and save the real equipment for autumn.
Average Spot conditions at Cote des Basques in August
Swell history for August
Wind history for August
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Cote des Basques during August. Based on historical data, there is a % probability of groundswell occurring this month. The chart below provides a detailed breakdown of the average wave height distribution, offering deep insights into the swell quality and surf potential you can expect at Cote des Basques for your next trip in August.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Cote des Basques for August. Our analysis shows that favorable offshore or side-shore winds coincide with surfable swell approximately % of the time. The accompanying graph illustrates the average size distribution of waves during these optimal wind windows at Cote des Basques.