Hickory Bay - surf spot statistics

Hickory Bay in New Zealand offers consistent swell year-round, with no months recording zero swell, making it a reliable surf spot. The best conditions generally occur from April to July when the mean swell size peaks between 2.1m and 2.3m. During these months, ground swell dominates (60-62% in April-May), providing cleaner and more organized waves compared to wind swell. Wind conditions improve slightly in these months, with good wind days increasing to 25-29%, though onshore winds still prevail (71-75% bad conditions). The worst wind conditions are in summer (January-February and December), where bad winds exceed 80%. From August onwards, swell size gradually decreases, though September-October still offers decent waves around 2.0m. Summer months (December-February) see smaller swells (1.8-1.9m) and the highest wind swell influence (54-66%), resulting in choppier conditions. Overall, mid-autumn to mid-winter (April-July) is the prime window for surfers seeking larger, cleaner waves at Hickory Bay, with May standing out as the peak month thanks to strong ground swell (62%) and slightly improved wind odds (27% good).

December at Hickory Bay delivers a solid mix of conditions for surfers, with an average swell height of 1.8m and a decent period of 9.5s, indicating consistent, well-formed waves. The swell direction is predominantly from the northeast to south-southwest, with the best energy coming from NE, ENE, and SSW directions—where waves frequently reach the 1.5-2.5m range. SSW swells in particular show strong contributions, especially in the 1.5-2.5m bands, suggesting powerful, surfable waves roughly half the time. Wind conditions are less favorable, with only 19% of days offering ideal offshore or light cross-shore winds (mostly from the east to southeast). The predominant winds are northerly to southwesterly, often blowing 10-30kph, which can create choppy or onshore conditions. However, when winds align from the east or southeast, clean faces and good shape are likely. Overall, December provides reliable swell but requires patience for wind conditions, with the best sessions occurring during lighter easterly or southeasterly airflow.