Lake Worth - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (October - March)

The heart of the winter & fall months delivers the most consistent and powerful surf along the Lake Worth coastline. As the North Atlantic storm track fires up, long-period groundswells from the NE and ENE quadrants become the primary driver. These swells wrap into the east-facing beach with average heights in the fun to solid range (1-1.5m), and often push into pumping territory (1.5-2.5m) during stronger events. The real magic happens when a cold front sweeps through, swinging winds to the W, WSW, or WNW – those fleeting offshore windows transform the surf into crisp, groomed lines. Ideal wind conditions occur roughly 20-24% of the time during these months, which is the highest of the year.

Fair Surf Season (April & September)

April and September act as the transitional gateways. In April, the jet stream begins to retreat north, weakening the frequency of solid NE swells, but occasional longer-period leftovers from late-winter systems still provide fun-sized days. September sees the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, which can throw serious long-period E/ESE swell into the region, though the accompanying onshore wind often limits quality. Overall, these months average around 1.0m of swell with periods in the 7-8s range, but the percentage of ideal offshore wind drops to 18-19%.

Low Surf Season (May - August)

Summer settles in and so does a persistent pattern of small, short-period windswell. The prevailing easterly trade winds (ENE to SE) blow almost constantly, keeping the surface choppy and messy. Average swell heights drop to a meager 0.6-0.9m with periods of 6-7s, rarely producing anything above groveling quality. Wind consistency is the culprit – offshore flow from the west becomes exceedingly rare, clocking in at just 10-16% of the time. During these months, the few ridable waves come from residual E/ESE pulses during lulls in the sea breeze, but it’s mostly a time to work on summer surfing fitness or explore the nearby sandbars.

February: Consistent Swell, Fickle Winds

February holds onto the winter energy, averaging 1.2m of swell at 7.7s. The distribution shifts slightly, with NE swell taking the lead (17.1%) and ENE (15.6%) close behind. The NNE sector (14.9%) is still strong. This month offers a bit more variety in swell angle, but the average period remains in the rideable to punchy range. The ideal wind percentage drops to 22%, meaning more days will be plagued by onshore flow from the E and ESE components. However, the frequency of strong pressure gradients can produce notable northwest winds (NW 6.5%, NNW 6.2%) which, while not perfectly offshore, can improve surface conditions by reducing the typical easterly chop. Keep an eye on low-pressure tracks: those passing well to the north can drag in excellent WSW to WNW winds during the back side of the storm, making for crisp, organized surf.