Ciruelo - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (April - November)

Ciruelo hits its stride from April through November, when the dominant swell shifts to the optimal southern quadrants and the Pacific storm track delivers consistent, long-period groundswells. During these months, the swell window remains wide open to the S, SSW, SW, and WSW, generating waves that wrap directly into the beach with power and shape. The average wave period climbs into the 13-14 second range, ensuring clean, punchy lines on the 1-1.5m fun-sized faces that dominate the charts. Wind patterns become lighter and more variable, but still manage to blow offshore from the north or northwest a solid 50-70% of the time, especially during morning hours. This is the prime window for surfing at Ciruelo.

Fair Surf Season (December & March)

December and March offer a mixed bag. December boasts the highest percentage of ideal wind (80%), with strong offshore flow from N and NNW, but the swell direction is split between northern and southern sources. Only about half the waves arrive from the favorable SSW-SW quadrant, while the rest come from north of west—these wrap in but lack the same punch. March sees a nice bump in SSW swell (38% of total) and long periods (12.4s average), but wind quality drops to 54% ideal, with more frequent onshore afternoon breezes. Both months can still produce memorable sessions when the right combination aligns.

Low Surf Season (January & February)

January and February represent the weakest period for Ciruelo. The swell is dominated by north-northwest and north-northeast directions, which sit outside the optimal entry window. Only about a quarter to a third of the waves come from the preferred S through WSW directions, and these are mostly small, averaging 1.1m with periods dropping to 9-10 seconds. Although offshore winds from the N and NNE are frequent (60+% of the time), the lack of quality swell makes for small, weak surf that rarely exceeds 1.5m. It’s a time for smaller boards and patience, or for exploring other breaks.

May: Southern Dominance Peaks

May cranks the southern swell tap wide open. The SSW direction alone delivers 85.9% of all waves, with SW adding 7.4%—a staggering 93% from the optimal window. The wave period peaks at 14.1 seconds, the highest of the year, meaning every swell carries deep-ocean energy. Wave height distribution shows a healthy mix: 35% at 0.5-1m and 45% at 1-1.5m, plus 5% at 1.5-2m—solidly fun to pumping. Wind is ideal 62% of the time, with lighter offshore flow from N and NNE (23% combined) and a notable increase in light winds from the W and NW. Morning glass-offs are common. The only drawback is a rise in onshore afternoon breezes from the SW and WSW, but they’re often light. May offers consistent, high-quality surf with long-period lines—perfect for logging or shortboarding.