San Pancho • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (December - March)

The North Pacific storm track roars to life in late autumn and winter, and San Pancho feels it directly. From December through March, the average swell height runs around 1.0-1.1m (3-3.5ft) with long-period groundswell intervals of 13.5-13.6s. The wave rose is dominated by W and WNW swell - precisely the directions this west-northwest-facing beach needs - so even moderate winter swells translate into fun, rippable waves. The catch is wind: the region is often trapped under a persistent NNW/NW onshore flow, and ideal offshore conditions clock in at only 2-11% of the time. Still, when a Pacific cold front sweeps through and the pressure gradient flips to a light SW/SSW offshore, the combination of powerful W-WNW groundswell and clean surfaces makes December through February, and often March, the best windows of the year.

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

Spring and autumn are transitional. April and May see the average period stretch to 14.0s, but the swell direction rotates to WSW/SW, robbing San Pancho of the direct W/WNW energy that lights up the bay. October and November are the reverse: early winter storms and lingering tropical cyclones begin to inject W and WNW swell back into the mix, while wind speeds ease and offshore-flow days become more common - ideal wind around 20-32% of the time in autumn. These shoulder months can produce surprisingly clean sessions, especially when the swell angle and wind align, but the consistency is not yet there.

Low Surf Season (June - September)

Summer is the slow season for quality surf. From June through September, the swell direction settles firmly into the S/SW/SSW quadrant - a direction that is largely shadowed by the coast's WNW exposure. Average heights hang around 0.9-1.1m (3-3.5ft), and although long periods remain, the lack of W/WNW energy leaves the beach small and direction-starved. The silver lining is that offshore wind days are far more frequent, especially July through September when ideal wind reaches 35-41%. That means the summer's cleanest days can be glassy and playful, but they are rarely big. For die-hard wave chasers, summer is a time to watch the tropics for hurricane swells that occasionally break the directional monotony.