Borkum - surf spot statistics

Borkum, Germany, is a surf spot with predominantly wind-driven conditions, as the data shows very little ground swell throughout the year. The best months for surfing are typically late autumn and winter, specifically from October to December, when wind swell percentages peak around 38-44%, and mean swell size reaches 0.5-0.6m. However, even during these months, the likelihood of good wind conditions remains extremely low (only 2-3% of the time), meaning cross-onshore or cross-offshore winds are rare, and most days feature less favorable wind directions. From January to February, wind swell remains relatively consistent (43-47%), but the poor wind conditions (98% bad) and small swell size (0.6m) limit quality surfing opportunities. Spring and summer (March to August) see a significant drop in wind swell frequency (24-36%) and smaller waves (0.4-0.5m), making these months far less ideal. September marks a slight improvement as wind swell increases to 29%, though conditions remain marginal. Overall, Borkum is a spot for committed surfers who can handle onshore wind chop, with October to December offering the highest chance of rideable waves, albeit still inconsistent and small by global standards. The lack of ground swell and consistently unfavorable winds make it a challenging spot for high-performance surfing, better suited for beginners in small waves or windsurfers/kitesurfers who thrive in strong onshore conditions.

March at this surf spot in Borkum tends to offer fairly small and inconsistent conditions for surfers. The average swell height is just 0.5m with a short period of 4.6s, indicating weak, mushy waves that lack power. The dominant swell directions come from NW and NNW, which account for the majority of waves over 0.5m, though even these rarely exceed 1.5m—only about 9.7% of the time. Stronger swells (over 2m) are extremely rare, occurring less than 1% of the month. Wind conditions are generally unfavorable, with only 2% of the time offering clean, offshore winds for surfing. The most common winds are SW to W at moderate to strong speeds (20-40kph), creating choppy or blown-out conditions. Overall, March delivers mostly small, wind-affected waves, making it a challenging month for quality surfing. Advanced surfers may find occasional clean, rideable waves on NW swells with lighter winds, but it's far from consistent.