Cabo de San Antonio - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (October - March)

As the North Atlantic storm track fires up, Cabo de San Antonio sees a welcome increase in average swell heights to around 1.1-1.2m. While the predominant swell direction remains from the northeast and east quadrant due to persistent trade winds, the occasional frontal passage can swing winds into a favorable offshore quadrant (N, NNE, NE, NNW), cleaning up the waves. South and southwest swells, though rare, are most likely during this period as old lows track across the Gulf or from distant Southern Hemisphere storms. The average period of 6-7 seconds keeps waves punchy and rideable, but don't expect long-period groundswells often. When the alignment is right, these months offer the best chance for quality surf at this south-facing reef.

Fair Surf Season (April, September)

Transitional months. April sees a drop in average height to 0.9m as the winter pattern weakens. Trade winds remain strong from the east, making offshore conditions less frequent. September, on the fringe of hurricane season, can bring sudden pulses of south to southwest swell from tropical systems in the Gulf, but also the risk of messy onshore winds. Wave periods are short, averaging 6 seconds, so conditions are usually small and choppy, but occasional clean small waves can be found.

Low Surf Season (May - August)

The summer doldrums settle in with average swell heights bottoming out at 0.6-0.7m and periods around 6-7 seconds. The dominant easterly trade winds (E, ESE, SE) blow almost constantly, creating onshore conditions that wreck what little wave energy exists. South swell events are extremely scarce (less than 1% occurrence). During this period, the spot is mostly flat or blown out, making it a poor time for surfing. The only hope is a fleeting tropical disturbance that might bring rare south swell and light winds, but reliability is extremely low.

March: A Slight Uptick in South Swell Potential

March offers a glimmer of hope: the combined south-southwest swell contribution reaches 3.7%, the highest of the year. Average swell height is 1.1m with a period of 6.3s. The dominant swell directions shift slightly, with SE (15.0%), ESE (12.5%), and SSE (12.3%) playing larger roles, bringing more energy from the southeast quadrant. While still not ideal for a south-facing reef, these directions can wrap in with less refraction than pure east swell. Winds remain easterly dominant (E 15.1%, ESE 16.0%), but the percentage of ideal offshore wind drops to 14%. This month is a transition into spring, and occasional weak cold fronts can produce a few hours of north wind and a small south swell. The surf is typically small to fun-sized, with most waves 0.5-1.5m. For the dedicated surfer, March offers the best statistical chance of catching a decent south swell window in the first half of the year.