Salina Cruz • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (May - September)

As the northern-hemisphere summer sets in, the intertropical convergence zone migrates north and the southern Pacific starts firing consistent groundswell into the Mexican coast. Average swell heights hold around 1.4-1.5m (4.5-5ft), but periods stretch into the 12-13.6s range, putting real order in the water at Salina Cruz. The wind balance also shifts favorably, with clean conditions 34% of the time in May and jumping to 41-50% from June through September. The S/SSW swell family dominates the waverose in these months, and that is exactly the juice this coast needs. Expect rippable, long-period surf with glassy mornings and occasional bigger pulses when a strong frontal system pushes through the southern Pacific.

Fair Surf Season (March - April & October - November)

These shoulder months are transitional. March and April see the SSW groundswell fraction climb rapidly from 43% to 59%, and the average period increases to 11.4-12.8s, but ideal wind percentages lag at 32-34%. October through November flips back toward a mix of NNW and SSW swell with average heights around 1.7-1.8m (5.5-6ft) and periods settling to 9.3-10.7s. There are plenty of waves, but quality depends heavily on dodging Tehuano windswell and finding windows of cleaner W/NW offshore flow.

Low Surf Season (December - February)

Mid-winter is the least consistent in terms of quality at Salina Cruz. The waverose is dominated by shorter-period NNW swell (32-43% of observations) generated by strong northerly outflow through the Chivela Pass, with average wave periods down to 8.7-9.3s. The average height is still respectable at 1.6-1.8m (5-6ft), but the energy is often windswell, and ideal winds only occur 34-37% of the time. You can still score on the right days, especially when a proper S/SSW groundswell coincides with lighter offshore flow, but the default winter product is bumpier and less organized.