Katahama - surf spot statistics

Katahama, Japan, offers a mix of wind swells and ground swells throughout the year, with varying wind conditions that influence surf quality. The best months for surfing here are typically from August to October due to a combination of higher ground swell presence, more favorable wind conditions, and consistently decent swell size. During this period, ground swells make up 28-32% of the swell activity, which is significantly better than the rest of the year, and wind conditions improve slightly compared to earlier months. September stands out with the largest mean swell size (1.5m) and a decent ground swell contribution (30%), though wind conditions are less favorable (only 26% good wind days). August and October also provide solid surf conditions with ground swells around 28-32%, mean swell sizes of 1.4m, and moderate wind conditions (34-37% good wind days). The winter months (January-February, December) have a reasonable ground swell presence (around 28-29%) but suffer from poor wind conditions (70-71% bad wind days), making sessions less consistent. Spring and early summer (March-July) are dominated by wind swells (80-94%), which often create choppier, less clean waves. July shows a slight improvement in wind conditions (39% good days) but remains predominantly wind swell-driven. If you prioritize cleaner, more powerful waves, late summer to early autumn (August-October) is the prime window, though wind consistency isn't perfect. Outside of this period, surfers will face either weaker ground swells or onshore winds that reduce wave quality.

November at Katahama offers generally manageable surf conditions with an average swell height of 1.1m and a decent period of 9.1s, providing consistent energy for riding. The most dominant swell directions are SE and ESE, contributing the bulk of rideable waves (15.66% and 14.90% in the 0.5-1m range, respectively), with a fair chance of slightly larger waves (1.5-2m) from the same angles. SSW and WSW swells occasionally bring punchier waves up to 2.5m, though these are less frequent. Wind conditions are favorable 38% of the time, with lighter breezes (0-20kph) predominantly from NNE and NE early in the month, which can groom the swell for cleaner faces. However, stronger onshore winds from W to WNW later in November (peaking at 20-40kph) may disrupt conditions, particularly with W winds appearing 6.99% of the time in the 30-40kph range. For intermediates to advanced surfers, mid-sized days with SE/ESE swells and lighter NNE winds present the best windows, though patience may be needed to avoid wind-affected sessions during westerly cycles.