Cardoso - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (April - August)

The austral autumn and winter bring the most consistent and high-quality surf to Cardoso. As the South Atlantic storm track shifts northward, frequent cold fronts generate powerful S to SW swells that wrap directly into the south-facing beach. Simultaneously, post-frontal high-pressure systems deliver clean, offshore winds from the N through NE quadrant. Swell heights average 1.7-2.0m with periods often exceeding 9s, producing punchy to powerful waves. The wind is ideal 26-35% of the time, but the windows of opportunity are crisp and lined up with the best swell.

Fair Surf Season (January - March & September - October)

During the summer months, the South Atlantic subtropical high strengthens, leading to a dominance of ENE to ESE swell from the trade winds. While these swells are frequent and can offer fun-sized waves in the 1-1.5m range, they rarely carry the period or power of the winter swells. Offshore winds from the N to NE quadrant remain common, especially in January-March, with ideal wind percentages in the low 30s. September and October see a transition period: swell heights remain solid (around 2.0m in September) but the wind becomes tricky. Onshore S to SW winds increase as early spring fronts begin to push through, lowering the ideal wind percentage to 21-22%. Still, when the wind does clock around to the north, the surf can be excellent.

Low Surf Season (November - December)

Late spring and early summer represent the most challenging months for surf at Cardoso. The swell direction is dominated by E and ENE windswell, which is poorly aligned with the beach. Average wave periods drop to 8.4-8.6s, producing weaker, more disorganized waves. Ideal offshore wind percentages slip to 22-26%, and onshore winds from the S and SW are more frequent as the summer monsoon pattern sets in. Surfable days are fewer, and the wave quality is often groveling. However, occasional southerly swells can still sneak through if a late-season front dips far enough north.

February: Subtle Shift Toward Quality

February mirrors January with an ENE-E swell regime, but the S swell contribution inches up slightly to 7.8%. Wave heights hold steady at 1.5m average, while the period ticks up to 8.5s. The wind distribution remains similar, with NE (21.5%) and NNE (19.5%) providing the best offshore flow. The critical difference is the increase in ideal wind percentage to 34% — the highest of the summer. This means more clean sessions, especially during the early morning before the sea breeze kicks. Pay attention to those southerly pulses; they can transform the beach from lackluster to rippable in a matter of hours.