El Paso - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (February - March)

During the late austral summer, the South Pacific high pressure system occasionally relaxes its grip, allowing for the development of weak thermal lows over the interior of Peru. This subtle shift in pressure gradients brings a slight uptick in offshore wind events from the ENE to NNE quadrants. While still infrequent (peaking at 10% in March), these are the best windows to experience El Paso at its finest. Meanwhile, the Southern Ocean remains highly active, firing consistent SSW to SW swell with average heights of 1.5-1.6m and long periods around 13s. When the alignment of a clean E-NE breeze coincides with a powerful, long-period groundswell, the result is pristine, rippable waves in the 1-2m range.

Fair Surf Season (January & April)

January and April offer a transitional blend of solid swell and modest offshore wind opportunities. January sees average swell heights of 1.4m with a 13s period, while April bumps up to 1.7m with 13.6s – some of the year's most powerful swell. However, ideal wind frequency drops to 3-5%, meaning most days are marred by onshore S to SW breezes. The occasional lucky window can produce exceptional conditions, but patience is key.

Low Surf Season (May - December)

From May through December, the Southeast Pacific trade winds strengthen, locking in a persistent onshore flow from the S, SSW, and SW. Ideal offshore wind frequency plummets to 1-2% (or less), making clean conditions exceedingly rare. Even though the swell remains robust – averaging 1.6-1.9m with periods of 12-13s throughout this period – the constant onshore wind chops up the wave faces and reduces quality dramatically. Surfers willing to brave the wind may find fun-sized, punchy waves, but truly good sessions are few and far between. The heart of the southern hemisphere winter (June-August) delivers the biggest swell, but the wind is at its worst.

June: Peak Swell, Worst Wind

June brings the peak of the southerly swell window with an average height of 1.9m at 13.2 seconds. The swell direction is 76% from the SSW, with a rising contribution from due south (12%). This means bigger, more powerful waves – but the wind is terrible. Ideal offshore wind drops to just 2%, and onshore S and SSW winds hammer the coast 77% of the time, with 17% of winds in the 10-20 kph range. The constant onshore breeze makes most sessions challenging, creating lumpy, blown-out conditions. The few lulls in the wind can offer epic, glassy 2m+ waves, but they are extremely rare. This month is for the hardcore.