Ribeira d'Ilhas

Best Surf Season (October - March)

Ribeira d'Ilhas is a classic west-southwest-facing Ericeira setup, so it needs the North Atlantic to turn on. From October to March, the Icelandic Low deepens, the Azores High shifts south and west, and a climatological increase in extratropical storm activity sends consistent groundswell toward the Portuguese coast. Average surf heights run from 2.0-2.6m (6.5-8.5ft), with average wave periods of 11.4-13.0s - powerful, long-period and often firing. During this window, the offshore quadrant (NE, ENE, E and ESE) flows cleanly across the coastline roughly 22-27% of the time, giving Ribeira the combination of size and shape it needs. Negative NAO winters in particular can shove the storm track directly toward Iberia, producing XXL days and world-class conditions, while positive NAO winters tend to push the action farther north and leave Portugal smaller.