Uliss seasonal overview
Best Surf Season (April - May)
April and May deliver the highest ratio of favorable southern swell at Uliss. During these months, SSE, S and SSW directions account for the majority of the wave spectrum, and average wave periods improve to around 5.6s - the best of the year. Wave heights are small, generally 1.5-2.5ft (0.5-0.7m), but on a clean morning with an offshore N/NNW flow, the beach can produce fun-sized, groveling peaks. April is particularly interesting because ideal surf conditions reach 10%, the highest of any month. This is not a barrel season; it is a longboard and fish season. If you want the least amount of struggle between wind and swell, aim for April and May.
Fair Surf Season (March, September - November)
The transition months are a mixed bag. March starts the shift away from frozen winter winds toward a more southerly wave field, while September through November sees the autumn storm track awaken. During these months, favorable southern swell directions appear anywhere from 31% to 61% of the time, but the average wave height stays in the 1.5-2.5ft (0.5-0.7m) range and the period hovers near 5s. Onshore S/SSE winds can still wreck the shape for many days, but when a surface low tracks through the southern basin and a N/NNW high-pressure ridge cleans up the tail, there are rideable windows. Fair is a generous word; these months are really about hunting for the few solid sessions.
Low Surf Season (December - February and June - August)
The dead zones at Uliss are the heart of winter and the heart of summer. From December to February, the Siberian High locks in a freezing NNW offshore wind and blocks real southern swell. Water temperature drops to between -1.2°C and 2.4°C, and sea ice can become a factor. The N/NNW wave directions dominate the records, but they are directed offshore from this SSE-facing beach, leaving only tiny, short-period southern windswell. Summer, by contrast, is hot, humid and onshore. The S/SSE monsoon blows directly into the beach 60-75% of the time, generating weak 1.5-2ft (0.5-0.6m) windswell with periods around 5s. Warm water and warm air are nice, but the lack of power and constant onshore texture make June through August frustrating. If you are locked into a trip, watch for typhoon-track outriders in August, but keep expectations very low.