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Cantinho da Baia - surf spot statistics
Cantinho da Baia seasonal overview
Best Surf Season (October - March)
The North Atlantic roars to life during this period, delivering the most consistent and powerful swell to Cantinho da Baia. Average wave heights range from 2.5m to 2.8m, with periods frequently exceeding 12s, driven by deep extratropical cyclones tracking across the North Atlantic. The dominant swell directions from W, WNW, NW, and NNW align perfectly with the northwest-facing beach, while the NAO often settles into a negative phase, steering storms southward toward Portugal. Optimal offshore winds from W through SSW occur 25-36% of the time, offering clean, groomed conditions between winter fronts. This is the time for pumping, heavy waves — the spot’s prime window.
Fair Surf Season (April - May)
As the Atlantic storm track shifts northward, the average swell height drops to 1.8-2.1m and periods shorten to 10-11s. Swell from NW and WNW remains plentiful, but the quality is increasingly compromised by a growing frequency of northerly winds. The ideal wind percentage falls to just 13-17%, meaning clean sessions often require careful timing between spring lows. April still delivers some punchy groundswell, while May transitions to smaller, more inconsistent waves. For the dedicated surfer, this shoulder season offers occasional gems under light offshore breezes.
Low Surf Season (June - September)
Summer brings a dramatic lull in swell energy. Average wave heights hover around 1.5-1.7m with periods dropping to 8.6-10.5s, dominated by short-period northwest windswell. The prevailing wind regime is strongly from the N and NNW — directly onshore at Cantinho da Baia — making ideal offshore conditions extremely rare (3-13% of the time). Waves are generally small, choppy, and messy, only suitable for groveling on the rare clean day. While a distant hurricane or tropical storm can occasionally send a long-period pulse, consistent quality surf is hard to come by. This is the off-season for a reason.
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Conditions at Cantinho da Baia in February
February: Sustained Winter Momentum
February closely mirrors January with a 2.7m average swell and 13.0s period. The swell direction distribution is nearly identical, with NW (17.3%) and WNW (15.8%) leading the charge. However, the ideal wind percentage dips slightly to 29%, as northerly winds increase (16.7% from N, 10.6% from NNW). This means a higher likelihood of onshore chop during the frequent frontal passages. Still, the combination of long-period groundswell and sporadic offshore winds from SW/SSW creates excellent windows for powerful surf. It’s a month for patient surfers who can read the synoptic charts and pounce on the clean interludes.
Average Spot conditions at Cantinho da Baia in February
Swell history for February
Wind history for February
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Cantinho da Baia during February. Based on historical data, there is a % probability of groundswell occurring this month. The chart below provides a detailed breakdown of the average wave height distribution, offering deep insights into the swell quality and surf potential you can expect at Cantinho da Baia for your next trip in February.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Cantinho da Baia for February. Our analysis shows that favorable offshore or side-shore winds coincide with surfable swell approximately % of the time. The accompanying graph illustrates the average size distribution of waves during these optimal wind windows at Cantinho da Baia.