La Santa Isquierda - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (October - March)

La Santa Isquierda comes alive during the heart of the North Atlantic winter. From October through March, the island's NW exposure is consistently fed by powerful long-period groundswells generated by deep extratropical storms tracking across the North Atlantic. Swell heights average between 1.3m and 1.7m with periods frequently exceeding 11s, delivering punchy, well-defined waves off the Lanzarote coastline. The dominant swell direction swings through the NW to N quadrants, with NNW and N providing the most consistent energy. Critically, this window also brings the highest likelihood of offshore winds from the S through WSW quadrants, with ideal wind percentages peaking at 18% in December. When a high-pressure system parks over the Azores and a low deepens to the northwest, we get the classic setup: long-period NW swell and light southerly breezes — pure magic at the left.

Fair Surf Season (April & September)

Transitional months like April and September offer a mixed bag. April sees a drop in average period to 10.6s and ideal wind only 5%, but the swell remains sizeable (average 1.5m) with plenty of NNW energy. The trade winds start to strengthen, often blowing from the NNE, which creates onshore conditions at the spot. Still, occasional late-season storms can deliver clean windows. September is the mirror image — the first autumn lows inject new life into the swell window, lifting periods to 9.5s and ideal wind to 5%. While not consistent, these months reward those willing to hunt for the right weather window.

Low Surf Season (May - August)

The summer months are a tough time for consistent quality at La Santa Isquierda. May through August is dominated by persistent NNE trade winds, which blow directly onshore at this NW-facing spot, ruining the wave shape. Average swell period drops below 9s, and heights hover around 1.2-1.4m, mostly from short-period windswell generated by the same trades. The ideal wind percentage plummets to 0-3%. Occasionally, a southerly wind shift or a south swell can produce rideable conditions, but overall, the waves are small, choppy, and bumpy. This is the season to travel elsewhere or take a break from the Lanzarote left.

August: Still in the Doldrums

August is only marginally better than July, with average swell at 1.3m and period 7.7s. Swell direction remains NNE-dominant at 58.6% and N at 29%. The trade winds blow onshore from NNE 64.6% and N 24.9%, mostly in the 20-30kph range. Ideal wind remains 0%. The few waves that arrive are wind-affected and small, rarely reaching over 1.5m. Occasionally, a southerly wind event associated with a passing hurricane or tropical depression can briefly clean things up, but such windows are extremely rare. For all practical purposes, August is a write-off for quality surf at this spot.