Conditions at Popov Island in April
April: South-Swell Dominance Meets Onshore Wind
By April the ocean switches to a southerly regime. A combined 70% of all swell comes from the S/SSW/SW/WSW sector, with S (32%) and SSW (30%) leading the charge. This is exactly the direction Popov needs to light up. Yet the average height drops to 0.6m (2ft) and period builds to 5.6s, meaning most of that south energy is small, short-period windswell. The 1-1.5m (3-5ft) class represents only about 6% of the distribution. As spring warmth builds, the wind rose turns onshore: SSE (14%), S (12%), and SE (10%) dominate, and ideal wind falls to 16%. So you get the right swell direction, but the wind often ruins it.
Air temperatures average 4.9°C, water temp warms to 4.4°C, and precipitation rises to 1.29mm/day. Look for days when a passing low shifts winds to the NW/NNW; those are the windows where April's south swell can actually become rideable.
Average Spot conditions at Popov Island in April
Swell history for April
Wind history for April
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Popov Island during April. 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 Popov Island for your next trip in April.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Popov Island for April. 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 Popov Island.