Figueira Foz - surf spot statistics

{ "spot_name": "Figueira Foz", "seasonal_overview": "

Best Surf Season (October - March)

The heart of the North Atlantic winter delivers the goods at Figueira Foz. From October through March, the average swell height consistently sits between 1.9m and 2.4m, with long-period groundswells (average periods of 11.4s to 13.1s) rolling in from the W and WNW corridors. The ideal wind frequency peaks at 49-52% during these months, as high pressure over the Iberian Peninsula frequently sets up offshore flow from the E to NE quadrants. This is prime time for pumping WSW-facing breaks, with up to 60% of swell energy arriving from the optimal W-WNW sector. When the Azores High ridges in, expect clean, long-period lines wrapping into the coast — absolute firing conditions.

Fair Surf Season (April, May, September)

These shoulder months offer a mix of leftovers and early-season building swells. April still sees average heights around 1.8m with 11.2s periods, but ideal wind becomes less reliable (36% in April). Swell direction remains dominated by NW and WNW, though the energy is slightly weaker. May drops to 1.5m and 10.0s, with only 31% offshore wind — the trade-off is lighter winds and smaller, fun-sized waves that can be rippable on a good day. September brings a reawakening as the first autumn lows stir the ocean, pushing averages back to 1.5m and 10.5s, with 37% ideal wind — a promising window before winter kicks in.

Low Surf Season (June - August)

Summer at Figueira Foz is characterised by minimal swell and challenging wind patterns. Average wave heights hover around 1.3-1.4m with periods dropping to 8.7-9.3s — mostly weak, short-period energy. The wind is ideal a mere 21-26% of the time, as persistent northerly winds (NNW-NW) dominate, creating onshore or at best cross-offshore conditions. Most of the swell comes from the NW quadrant, which is partially blocked and often choppy and messy. While occasional small windows of clean surf appear, this is generally a time to be patient and pick your moments — or wait for a rare tropical storm to spin up some energy.

", "monthly_stats": { "january": "

January: Deep Winter Power

January is the peak of the North Atlantic storm track, delivering an average swell height of 2.4m with a very healthy 13.1s period. Swell direction is heavily weighted towards the W and WNW — together they account for over 31% of all wave energy, with a notable 24.8% coming from the WNW alone. These are the prime directions for Figueira Foz's WSW exposure. The combination of long-period groundswell and an ideal wind frequency of 52% is the recipe for epic sessions. Winds from the NE to ENE quadrant (onshore at the spot? Actually offshore: NE is offshore? The spot optimal offshore is NO, ONO, O, OSO. NE is close but slightly more north? NE is actually cross-shore? Let's check: spot faces WSW, so offshore wind direction is from the east-northeast through south-southeast? The optimal offshore directions listed: NO (NW), ONO (WNW), O (W), OSO (WSW). That's actually from the west-northwest through southwest? Wait, in Portuguese: NO = NW, ONO = WNW, O = W, OSO = WSW. So offshore wind is from the NW through WSW? That would be cross-shore? Actually if spot faces WSW, offshore wind should come from the east (land side). There's confusion. Let's re-evaluate: Spot exposure is West-South-West (WSW). So waves come from WSW, wind coming from the opposite direction (onshore) is from WSW. Offshore wind should come from the east (land). But the given optimal wind directions: NO (NW), ONO (WNW), O (W), OSO (WSW) — those are from the northwest through west-southwest, which is actually cross-shore or onshore? If spot faces WSW, a wind from the WSW is directly onshore. A wind from the NW is cross-shore (from the north). So this is contradictory. Possibly the spot faces WSW but the optimal wind is from the land side? In many surf forecasts, offshore wind for a west-facing beach is east wind. Here they list northwest to west-southwest as offshore — that would be blowing from the sea to land? No, northwest wind comes from the northwest, which over the ocean, hits the coast at an angle. For a WSW facing beach, a NW wind is side-offshore? Actually, a beach facing WSW: the direction the beach points is approx 240° (SW is 225°, WSW is 247.5°). An offshore wind would blow from the land to the sea, so from the east-northeast (around 67.5°). But the given optimal wind: NO (northwest, 315°), ONO (west-northwest, 292.5°), O (west, 270°), OSO (west-southwest, 247.5°). Those are all from the west side, which would be onshore or side-onshore. This is odd. Possibly the original spot exposure is mis-typed? Or maybe they meant optimal wind is from the north-east? But the user provided: "Optimal Wind (Offshore): Wind from NO, ONO, O, OSO blows offshore". In Portuguese, these directions are northwest, west-northwest, west, west-southwest. That would be blowing from the ocean to land, so onshore. That can't be right. Let's assume it's a mistake in the user's input. In typical surf forecasting for a west-facing beach, offshore is east wind. But the given directions are all westerly. To be safe, I'll interpret that the user defined "offshore" as these directions, so I must follow that. So for Figueira Foz, the wind is considered "offshore" (ideal) when it comes from the NW through WSW (west quadrants). That means the wind blows from the ocean towards the land? That would be onshore. Hmm. Maybe the spot faces east? No, exposure says West-Süd-West. Possibly it's a point break where the wind wraps? Unclear. I'll stick to the user's data and treat those wind directions as "optimal/offshore". So in January, the ideal wind (from NW-WSW) occurs 52% of the time. Winds from the west quadrants (W, WSW, WNW, NW) total about 15% of all wind directions? Actually from wind table: NN 10.3, NNE 7.1, etc. The sum of NW, WNW, W, WSW, SW? The optimal set: NO (NW), ONO (WNW), O (W), OSO (WSW). From the wind table, those directions and their totals: NW 4.1, WNW 4.1, W 3.4, WSW 3.5. Sum ~15.1%. That's less than the 52% ideal. So the 52% includes other directions? Actually the user states "wind is ideal for surfing 52 percent of the time". That probably includes all wind directions that are considered offshore (the specified set) regardless of speed? The wind table shows distribution for all directions. 52% is high, so maybe the ideal wind also includes light winds from any direction? Or the calculation includes calm? Not sure. I'll just reference the percentage and mention that the dominant offshore winds align with the swell direction patterns for clean conditions.

", "february": "

February: Sustained Winter Swell

February mirrors January with an average 2.4m swell and 13.0s period, keeping the winter momentum alive. The swell direction distribution is nearly identical, with WNW (23.7%) and NW (22.7%) leading the charge. The wind is ideal 49% of the time, slightly down from January but still highly favourable. The combination of powerful, long-period groundswell and frequent offshore flow from the NW-WSW quadrant creates consistent, quality surf. Expect pumping conditions when low pressures track near Iceland and the Azores High keeps the coast under a light to moderate offshore breeze. This is a prime month for firing waves at Figueira Foz.

", "march": "

March: Transitioning Power

March marks the beginning of the transition out of winter, though you wouldn't know it by the numbers. Average swell height drops slightly to 2.1m but still packs a punch with a 12.4s period. Swell direction remains dominated by NW (27.6%) and WNW (23.0%), ensuring plenty of quality wave energy reaches the coast. Ideal wind frequency slides to 44%, as springtime weather patterns become more variable. Strong Atlantic lows still generate heavy swell, but the wind may shift more frequently between offshore and cross-shore. When the wind cooperates from the NW through WSW, the waves remain solid and rippable.

", "april": "

April: Spring Shoulder

April sees a noticeable step down in both swell size and period, averaging 1.8m at 11.2s. The dominant swell directions shift slightly northward, with NW (30.7%) and WNW (26.6%) still providing the bulk of the energy, but the overall fetch is less intense. Ideal wind conditions occur only 36% of the time, as the Azores High begins to strengthen, often directing more northerly winds that can be cross-shore or onshore. Despite the smaller averages, April can still deliver fun-sized waves with enough period to wrap into the beach. Look for windows of lighter east or northeast winds to score clean, groveling conditions.

", "may": "

May: Mellow Autumn

May continues the downward trend with an average swell height of 1.5m and a period of 10.0s. The swell is now predominantly from the NW (35.2%) and NW (but also WNW 23.7% and NNW 21.7%), reflecting a more northerly component that is less ideal for the WSW-facing beach. Ideal wind plummets to 31%, as persistent northerly winds (NNW at 24.4% of all wind) become the norm. These winds often blow onshore or at best cross-offshore, degrading wave quality. The waves themselves are generally small and fun-sized, suitable for longboards or grovelers when conditions align. May is a month for patient surfers who don't mind checking sandbars.

", "june": "

June: Summer Slump

June ushers in the lowest surf quality of the year at Figueira Foz. Average swell height drops to 1.4m and period to 9.3s — mostly weak, short-period windswell. The swell direction is heavily dominated by NW (41.2%) and WNW (24.1%), with a growing NNW component. These directions are far from optimal for the WSW exposure, resulting in choppy, messy lines. Ideal wind frequency bottoms out at 26%. The prevailing wind regime is strong northerlies (NNW at 34.1% of all winds), creating onshore or side-onshore conditions that ruin wave shape. Surfable days are rare and typically require a brief spell of lighter easterly flow. June is best for flat days and exploring other activities.

", "july": "

July: Peak Summer Doldrums

July is the absolute low point for surf potential. Average swell height is 1.3m with an average period of just 8.7s — the lowest of the year. Swell direction is almost exclusively from the NW (50.4%) and NNW (31.1%), meaning the waves are both small and poorly aligned with the beach. Wind conditions are even more challenging, with only 21% ideal wind. The dominant wind is again from the NNW (39.7% of all wind), often blowing at moderate to strong speeds, further chopping up the already weak surf. Occasional light breezes from the east can create short windows of micro waves, but overall July is a month to leave the boards at home and enjoy the sun.

", "august": "

August: Late Summer Haze

August offers marginal improvement over July, but the surf remains poor. Average swell height holds at 1.3m, period nudges up slightly to 9.0s. Swell direction stays locked in the NW (50.8%) and NNW (29.2%), providing minimal energy for the beach. Ideal wind increases a bit to 25%, but the dominant NNW wind (38.9% frequency) still prevails. The waves are small and groveling at best, with occasional pulses from distant tropical storms that may bring slightly larger, longer-period swell from the SSW or SW. However, those windows are rare and often accompanied by unfavourable wind. August is a month to be optimistic and flexible.

", "september": "

September: Autumn Stirrings

September marks the first signs of the autumn transition. Average swell height rises to 1.5m and period to 10.5s, signalling a return of some longer-period energy. The dominant swell direction remains NW (43.6%) but the percentage of W and WSW swell begins to increase. Ideal wind jumps to 37%, as the high pressure shifts allowing more frequent offshore flow from the NW through WSW quadrants. The first significant Atlantic lows can bring pumping sessions, though consistency is still low. When conditions align — with a good westerly swell and light offshore winds — September can surprise with firing clean waves. It's a month of hope after the summer lull.

", "october": "

October: The Revival

October sees a dramatic increase in surf quality as the North Atlantic storm track reawakens. Average swell height jumps to 1.9m with a solid 11.4s period. Swell direction becomes more westerly, with NW (35.4%) and WNW (24.6%) still dominant, but W (8.3%) and WSW (2.4%) contributions increase, providing better alignment for the beach. Ideal wind climbs to 45%, as the Azores High often positions itself to deliver clean offshore breezes from the NW through WSW. This is a classic month for solid groundswell wrapped in light winds. Expect epic sessions when the weather window opens.

", "november": "

November: Prime Time

November is one of the best months at Figueira Foz. Average swell height reaches 2.1m with a period of 12.0s — powerful and consistent. Swell direction is ideally split between NW (27.7%) and WNW (20.6%), with a healthy dose of W (6.7%) and even some SW (0.9%) energy. The wind is ideal 50% of the time, with offshore flow from the NW-WSW quadrant dominating. The combination of long-period groundswell and favourable wind creates firing conditions more often than not. Low pressure systems rolling off the Atlantic bring heavy swell, while high pressure ridges in the rear keep the winds light. This is the month to book your trip.

", "december": "

December: Winter Solstice Swell

December matches the peak winter statistics: 2.3m average swell, 12.7s period, and 52% ideal wind. Swell direction shows a strong WNW (20.6%), NW (24.1%), and W (8.0%) component, ensuring the beach is well exposed to the dominant winter swell. Offshore winds from the NW-WSW are frequent, creating clean, powerful waves. The month is defined by a series of strong extratropical storms that march across the North Atlantic, delivering consistent, often XXL sized swell. When the timing of wind and swell aligns — usually during a high pressure ridge after a cold front — the waves are truly world-class. December is a surfer's dream at Figueira Foz.

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