Bundoran - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (October - March)

The North Atlantic roars to life from October through March, delivering the most consistent and powerful swell to Bundoran's west-northwest facing beaches. During these months, average wave heights hover between 1.3m and 1.8m, with periods often exceeding 12 seconds, producing that long-period, groundswell energy that wraps perfectly into the bay. While onshore winds from the W and WNW are common, the region sees a solid 28-31% of time with offshore winds from the east and southeast, creating clean faces on those pumping WNW pulses. Winter storms spin up deep lows in the North Atlantic, and when the timing aligns with high pressure over Scandinavia, Bundoran fires at its finest.

Fair Surf Season (April & September)

April and September offer transitional windows where the ocean still holds plenty of energy, but the consistency drops. Average swell heights settle around 1.1m with periods around 10-11s, providing fun, rideable waves, especially for groveling and shortboards. Wind conditions are actually a bit more favorable during these months — April sees 32% ideal wind, the highest of the year — but the swells are less organized. These months can deliver excellent sessions if a late-season storm pushes through or early autumn lows develop, but overall, it's a step down from the prime winter season.

Low Surf Season (May - August)

From May through August, Bundoran takes a summer siesta. Average wave heights drop below 1m, periods shrink to 8-9 seconds, and the percentage of ideal offshore wind plummets to 16-19%. The swell is dominated by short-period, windswell from the W and WNW, but it often comes with onshore breezes from the same quadrant. These months are for the die-hards — small, choppy conditions prevail, but you can still find clean corners on a longboard during rare easterly wind days. It's the low season for a reason: wait for the autumn equinox to bring life back.

April: Shoulder Season Begins with Promise

April sees a notable drop in average swell height to 1.1m and period to 10.7s, but the quality remains fun. Swell directions are still WNW dominant (30.3%), with sizable contributions from W and NW. Wave heights are mostly in the 0.5-1.5m range — small to fun-sized. What sets April apart is the highest ideal wind percentage of the year at 32%. Offshore winds from the east and southeast account for nearly 22% of conditions (up from 18-20% in winter), and onshore westerlies decrease to around 22%. This means cleaner conditions more often. The trade-off is smaller, less powerful swell. Think grovelers and logs when the wind is offshore, and look for late-season NW groundswells that can still push into head-high range.