Blacks Beach - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (October - March)

The North Pacific stirs to life during these months, and Blacks Beach reaps the rewards. A climatological ramp-up in extratropical storm activity across the Pacific sends consistent, long-period swell trains marching toward the California coast. Dominant swells from the W and WSW – ideal windows for this west-facing gem – push average heights into the 1-1.5m range, with plenty of overhead-plus days when storm tracks align. The real key, though, is the wind. As high pressure builds over the interior West, offshore flow from the east (E, ENE, ESE) kicks in 40-50% of the time, grooming those powerful, 12-14 second lines into pristine, rippable walls. This is prime time for Blacks Beach.

Fair Surf Season (April & September)

Transition months bring a mixed bag. In April, the Pacific storm track starts to weaken, but lingering WNW and W swells still produce fun, shoulder-high waves with an average period of 13.3s – plenty of punch. However, offshore wind windows shrink to about 19%, and onshore westerlies begin to creep in more often, so you need to pick your days. September sees a similar pattern: a shift from summer southwesterly slop to more westerly energy, with long-period groundswell still in the mix. Offshore flow returns to 7% of the time, offering occasional clean windows between the prevailing afternoon seabreezes. It's not prime, but it's far from flat.

Low Surf Season (May - August)

Summer is the off-season at Blacks Beach. The Pacific storm machine goes quiet, and the dominant swell shifts to the SW and WSW – still rideable, but often coming from a less optimal angle. Average heights hover around 1m with plenty of 0.5-1m days. The real killer is the wind. The North Pacific High strengthens, driving persistent onshore westerlies that chop up the swell and blow out the lineup. Ideal offshore wind plummets to 1-8% during these months, making clean conditions a rare, precious commodity. When the combination of a long-period SW swell and a rare morning offshore breeze aligns, though, you can score some glassy, fun-sized waves. It's a waiting game.

August: Slight Uptick in Swell, Same Wind

August remains deep in summer doldrums, but there's a glimmer of hope in the swell. SW still leads at 45.9%, followed by WSW (30.4%) and SSW (16.5%). Wave heights average 0.9m, the lowest of the year, with the majority in the 0.5-1m range (32.5% SW, 20.7% WSW). However, the average period still holds strong at 13.6 seconds. The wind remains a nightmare: ideal offshore at just 1%. Onshore westerlies (W 42.7%, WSW 25.1%) and WNW (13.4%) dominate. The increased percentage of W wind (42.7%) is a slight improvement over July's 40.0%? Not really. But the swell direction is becoming slightly more westerly (W at 6.8% vs July's 5.1%), hinting at the transition to come. Still, conditions are clean only in the rare event of an easterly wind event. Patience is key.