El Transito • Surf Spot Statistics

El Transito's surf year is written by the South Pacific storm machine and the seasonal rhythm of the trade winds. Situated on Nicaragua's southwest-facing Pacific seaboard, the spot needs SSW/SW groundswell to deliver the long, groomed peaks it is known for. When the austral winter kicks into gear, long-period swell lines push straight into the bay; when that storm track goes quiet, the beach relies more on weaker S/SE trade swell and suffers from stronger ENE trades.

Best Surf Season (April - October)

From April through October, average swell heights sit in the 3.9-4.3ft (1.2-1.3m) range and average periods are locked in the powerful 13-14s band. The key is direction: SSW and SW swells combine for 60-94% of the energy during these months, feeding the southwest-facing beach with well-angled groundswell. Ideal wind windows are also solid, ranging from 53% in April to 71% in July, with plenty of clean mornings between tropical rain showers. If you are chasing quality El Transito waves, this is the window to target.

Fair Surf Season (March and November)

March and November are transitional months on either side of the core season. March sees the first meaningful uptick in period and SSW share, but the trade winds are still active and sizes remain modest. November still has plenty of SSW energy and some of the highest ideal-wind scores of the year, but average height and period are beginning to slide as the South Pacific storm track fades. Both months can produce excellent days, but consistency is lower than the core summer months.

Low Surf Season (December - February)

December, January, and February represent the low surf season at El Transito. Average heights fall to 3.3-3.6ft (1.0-1.1m) and periods are shorter, while the swell direction spreads out with more S/SE/ESE energy that does not focus well on the southwest exposure. The ENE trade winds are at their strongest, especially in January and February, trimming ideal wind windows to 36-44%. It is never flat -- there are still clean, fun waves -- but this is the least consistent stretch of the year and the weakest for serious South Pacific groundswell.