Conditions at Riptides in March
March: The Monsoon Flip Begins
March is a transition month and one of the first real light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel moments. The average swell height drops to around 2-3ft (0.5-1m), but the period lengthens to 8.3s and the direction becomes much more favorable. Southeast swell is now the dominant player at 29 percent, with ESE close behind at 21.8 percent and SSE at 14.2 percent. The wind climatology also shifts: while NE and ENE are still common, the western quadrants are becoming active, and ideal offshore conditions climb to 45 percent. That means cleaner, more organized 2-3ft (0.5-1m) waves at Riptides on a regular basis - fun, groveling waves rather than the closed-out chop of January and February. It is still not a big month, and the average period of 8.3s is only in the average/punchy range, but the direction is improving daily. Air temperatures nudge up to 27.9°C, water temperature is 29.5°C, and rainfall remains modest at 1.50mm/day. If you can pick the westerly windows, March offers the first clean little days of the year.
Average Spot conditions at Riptides in March
Swell history for March
Wind history for March
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Riptides during March. 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 Riptides for your next trip in March.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Riptides for March. 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 Riptides.