Las Gatas - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (June - October)

As the North Pacific summer monsoon pattern sets in, the wind regime shifts dramatically in favour of Las Gatas. From June through October, the percentage of ideal offshore wind conditions (from the SW, WSW, W, and WNW quadrants) consistently hovers around 40% or higher, peaking at 46% in September. This is the sweet spot for clean, glassy surfaces. Swell heights average a solid 1.4 to 1.5 metres, with periods in the 13-14 second range, delivering powerful, long-period lines from the SSW and SW that wrap nicely into the west-facing bay. The combination of warm water, reliable swell, and frequent offshore wind makes this the prime window for surfing Las Gatas.

Fair Surf Season (November - February)

Autumn gives way to winter and the trade winds relax, but the frequency of ideal offshore winds drops to the 17-27% range. The swell becomes smaller on average, ranging from 1.0 to 1.2 metres, yet the period remains impressively long (13-14 seconds). Dominant swell directions shift slightly more toward the SSW and SW, which still produce fun, rippable waves. However, the wind is more often from the NW and NNW (onshore directions), creating crumbly, bumpy conditions. When a high-pressure system settles over the mainland and delivers light easterly gradients, the mornings can turn epic with clean, lined-up sets. This is a transitional season for the savvy surfer who can time the windows.

Low Surf Season (March - May)

Spring is the most challenging time for consistent surfing at Las Gatas. The percentage of ideal wind plummets to single digits (7-12% in March and April). The swell actually peaks in size during April and May, averaging 1.3-1.4 metres with stellar periods over 14 seconds, but the wind is almost always onshore from the NW, WNW, and W quadrants. These strong thermal gradients, driven by the heating of the continent, turn the ocean into a bumpy, choppy mess. While the long-period groundswells have incredible potential, they are rarely accompanied by the clean offshore breeze needed to unlock the bay’s full potential. Only the occasional cold front pushing through can reset the pattern, offering brief windows of light offshore flow.

January: Deep-Water Long-Period Swells

January sees an average swell height of 1.0m with a very long period of 13.3 seconds, indicating powerful groundswell from distant storms. The swell arrives mostly from the SSW (26.4%) and SW (43.3%), with a notable 24.6% from the WSW—one of the optimal swell windows. Unfortunately, ideal offshore wind (from the W, WNW, SW, WSW quadrants) occurs only 23% of the time. The wind rose shows a dominance of light breezes from the NW (14.8%) and NNW (13.4%), which are onshore and degrade wave quality. Still, when a high-pressure ridge sets up over the mainland, mornings can deliver glassy conditions with long, peeling lefts wrapping into the bay.