Alvor

Best Surf Season (October - March)

The North Atlantic roars back to life during October, and Alvor's SSW-facing sandbars start to feel the pulse of long-period groundswell. Average wave heights run 1.1-1.4m (3.5-4.5ft) with periods in the powerful 11-13s range as extratropical cyclones deepen and track across the Atlantic. The key for Alvor is the combination of direct S/SW/SSW swell and offshore N/NNE/NE/NNW winds; when these align, the sandbar delivers clean, rippable, sometimes pumping waves. The negative phase of the NAO can shunt low-pressure systems further south, sending more southwesterly energy into the Gulf of Cadiz and making these the most exciting months of the year. Water temperatures sit in the 15-17°C range, so a solid wetsuit is part of the deal, but the reward is the most consistent and powerful surf on the calendar.