Turtle Head • Statistics for March

March: Transition Begins as the Northeast Monsoon Relaxes

March marks the first real signs of the monsoon transition. Average swell energy drops to 1.1m (3.5ft) and the wave period still hovers around 7.4 seconds. The swell rose still shows a NNE-heavy distribution (55.7 percent) and a strong NE component (26.4 percent), but the heights are shrinking; most of the energy languishes in the 0.5-1m (2-3ft) range. These smaller, shorter-period waves translate into less powerful surf at the beach, and the direction is still not the most favorable for the spot.

The bigger change is in the wind field. The ideal wind frequency falls to 45 percent as the offshore trades weaken and variable winds from the northwest and west begin to appear (WNW 5.7 percent, NW 5.8 percent, W 4.7 percent). This can produce afternoon sea breezes that chop the surface, especially with the light wave energy. That said, water temperature climbs to 26.5°C and air to 26.5°C, while rainfall remains low at 0.59 mm/day. The month is hit-or-miss: on a good day with an easterly breeze and a modest longer-period swell, Turtle Head can still turn on, but the consistency is not what it was in January.