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Crab Island - surf spot statistics
Crab Island seasonal overview
Best Surf Season (October - March)
The North Atlantic delivers its full fury during these months, with average swell heights pushing 2.0m to 2.5m and periods exceeding 11 seconds. Powerful low-pressure systems track across the Atlantic, generating consistent groundswell from the west and northwest that pounds Crab Island's west-facing beach. The dominant wind flow is from the south to west, which unfortunately is onshore for this spot. However, when a high-pressure ridge builds over the British Isles and the Azores High extends north, we see clean offshore winds from the east and southeast, especially during cold snaps. These windows, though rare (14-17% ideal wind), produce epic conditions with long-period, organized swell. The best bet is to watch for a negative NAO pattern that brings easterly winds.
Fair Surf Season (April - May & September)
Spring and early autumn offer a trade-off: the swell drops off to fun-sized 1.2-1.5m with periods around 10 seconds, but the frequency of favorable offshore winds increases. April sees the highest percentage of ideal wind at 21%, often from the east-northeast as pressure gradients relax. The waves become more manageable, making this a great time for longboarding or groveling on small days. September marks the transition back to bigger swell, but the wind patterns are still mixed, yielding a higher chance of clean conditions than mid-winter.
Low Surf Season (June - August)
Summer brings the smallest swell of the year, averaging around 1.1-1.2m with short periods (8.7-9.1s). The North Atlantic storm track shifts north, and the prevailing westerlies weaken. What swell does arrive is typically weak windswell from the west, quickly chopped up by onshore sea breezes. Ideal wind percentages drop to 13-16%, and even when the wind comes from the east, the waves lack power. Expect micro to small, grovelly conditions. Occasionally a distant hurricane or tropical storm can send a pulse of longer-period swell, but those events are rare. This is the season to explore other spots or take a break from surfing.
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Conditions at Crab Island in February
February: Consistent Power
Similar to January, average swell 2.4m and period 12.7s. The swell direction remains heavily weighted to the west (25.0%) and WSW (15.4%), with a slight uptick in WNW (10.9% compared to Jan's 9.1%). Wave heights are spread across the 1-2.5m range, with 44.3% in the 1.5-2.5m zone. The wind pattern shows a slight decrease in westerly speeds compared to January, but still predominantly onshore (SW, WSW, W around 8-9% each). Ideal wind conditions (east-southeast quadrant) account for 14% of the time. The longer days offer more chances to score a clean dawn session before the sea breeze picks up. A negative NAO phase can be your best friend in February.
Average Spot conditions at Crab Island in February
Swell history for February
Wind history for February
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Crab Island 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 Crab Island for your next trip in February.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Crab Island 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 Crab Island.