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Conditions at Playa Maria Chiquita in October
October: A Building North in the Smallest Swell Window
October is a contradiction: it has the lowest average swell height of the year at 2ft (0.6m) and the shortest period at 6.8s, yet it also sees a marked increase in favourable N/NNW/NW swell directions. NE drops to 59.3%, NNE jumps to 18.4%, and the combined N/NNW/NW share is about 13.4% - more than at any point since spring. Early-season cold fronts are beginning to push true north swell into the Caribbean.
Onshore winds are much less of a problem: ideal offshore flow from the S/SW quadrant is 25%, and the trades are weak. But the issue is size. Those north pulses are baby swell, still shorter than 7s and mostly under 1m, so they struggle to produce beyond knee-to-waist-high crumble. With heavy rain at 8.56mm/day, water temperature at 29.4°C and air temperature near 27.3°C, keep expectations low but stay ready for the first proper north groundswell of the season.
Average Spot conditions at Playa Maria Chiquita in October
Swell history for October
Wind history for October
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Playa Maria Chiquita during October. 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 Playa Maria Chiquita for your next trip in October.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Playa Maria Chiquita for October. 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 Playa Maria Chiquita.