Manhattan Beach - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (December - February)

The winter months are prime time at Manhattan Beach. The North Pacific storm track fires up, sending consistent, long-period W to WSW swell marching into the South Bay. With average wave heights hovering around 0.8m to 0.9m and periods regularly exceeding 12s, you can expect a punchy, powerful ride. The kicker? Offshore flow from the NNE and ENE dominates over 50% of the time in December and January, grooming the faces clean. This is when the sandbars hold and the lines stack up. Plan your sessions around the post-frontal high pressure and you'll score.

Fair Surf Season (March - April & October - November)

Spring and fall represent transition windows. March and April still deliver solid SW-to-W swell, but the offshore wind window narrows to around 35-39%. The swell remains punchy (1-1.5m fun-sized sets) with long periods, though afternoon onshore sea breezes can deteriorate conditions by midday. October and November see a resurgence in swell energy as early winter storms develop, but the average height dips slightly to 0.7m. Still, when a strong low-pressure system aligns with a high-pressure offshore gradient, the beach fires. These shoulder seasons reward the flexible surfer who can chase the early-morning glass-off.

Low Surf Season (May - September)

Summer is the quiet season at Manhattan Beach. The dominant North Pacific storm track retreats, leaving the beach reliant on distant southern hemisphere swell that has to wrap in. Swell heights average 0.8m and are mostly in the small, groveling range (0.5-1m). The wind turns predominantly onshore from the SW and WSW, with ideal offshore flow dropping to just 24-31% of the time. Long-period energy (12-13s) can still produce the occasional fun session, especially early morning before the thermal breeze kicks up, but consistent quality is hard to come by. It's the time for a longboard and a sunrise paddle.

January: The Deep Midwinter Pulse

January stands as the peak of the California winter surf season. The average swell height of 0.8m understates the quality – with a period of 12.4s, those 0.5-1m waves carry real long-period power. A massive 58.9% of swell arrives from the W, with most of that in the 0.5-1m range (42.2%). WSW adds another 27.6%, bringing the total optimal swell direction (W+WSW) to over 86%. Wind is your ally: N and NNE directions combine for nearly 37% of all observations, with the bulk in the light 0-10kph and 10-20kph range – classic offshore. With a 52% ideal wind score, this month offers the highest chance of clean, lined-up walls. The rare bigger days come from passing cold fronts that dip the jet stream just right.