San Pancho • Statistics for August

August: Best Winds of the Year, but the Swell Window Is Closed

August delivers the highest percentage of ideal surf wind - 41% - and the lowest autumn swell quality. Average swell height is 1.0m (3ft), average period 13.2s. Swell direction is stubbornly from SW (63.2%) and SSW (30.8%), with WSW at 5.7% and S at 0.3%. There is zero W/WNW/NW/NNW energy in the data, which means San Pancho is looking at mostly soft, shadowed, small surf. The period is still long enough to hold together, but the lack of directional push leaves the beach with persistent ankle-to-waist high dribble, occasionally reaching chest or shoulder high when a tropical storm stirs up S/SW energy. Wind patterns are light and often offshore from the SSW/SW/WSW quadrant, which can make the water glassy and pleasant. Air temps are the warmest of the year at 28.4°C, water temps peak at 30.8°C, and precipitation is high at 11.59 mm/day as the rainy season peaks. Unless you are a longboarder who enjoys small, clean summer waves, August is statistically one of the least exciting months at San Pancho.