Oyambre - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (October - March)

The North Atlantic roars to life during these months, with the average swell height hovering between 1.5m and 2.0m and wave periods averaging 11.2s to 12.7s. This is the prime window for Oyambre, driven by powerful extratropical storms that march across the Atlantic. The dominant swell directions from NW, WNW, and NNW are not directly aligned with Oyambre's optimal N to ENE exposure, but they still wrap in with enough energy to produce powerful, long-period surf. The real key is the wind: with offshore sectors (S, SSW, SW, WSW) blowing 34% to 46% of the time, you often get that clean, groomed face. A negative NAO phase often locks in this pattern, delivering consistent swell and offshore breezes. When a storm track dips south and a high-pressure ridge sets up over the Bay of Biscay, we see the classic combo: pumping NW groundswell paired with sunny, light southerly winds. That's when Oyambre truly fires.

Fair Surf Season (April - May & September)

As the jet stream weakens and shifts north, the average swell height drops to 1.2m - 1.4m and periods settle into the 9.8s - 10.7s range. The wind ideal percentage falls to 24% - 28%, meaning more frequent onshore or cross-shore flows. Swell energy is still present, mostly from NW and NNW, but the reduced period means less power and punch. April and September are transition months—they can deliver fun, rippable waves on the right day, especially when a late-season storm brushes the map or a tropical system sends long-period energy north. May is more marginal, with smaller waves and a higher chance of light NE sea breezes that ruin the shape. Still, if you time it with a SSW wind and a NW swell, the beach breaks can offer clean, workable walls.

Low Surf Season (June - August)

Summer brings the doldrums to Oyambre. Average swell heights bottom out at 1.0m and periods drop to 8.7s - 9.1s, resulting in mostly small, groveling conditions or choppy, wind-affected surf. The wind ideal percentage plummets to 15% - 17%, as the prevailing pattern shifts to light thermal onshore breezes from the N and NE—exactly the directions that ruin the waves. The swell is still dominated by low-energy NW pulses, but they lack the period to wrap in cleanly. This is the time for a longboard or a beach day, not for serious surfing. However, occasional southwesterly wind events or a rare distant hurricane swell can briefly pop the waves back to life, but those are the exceptions, not the rule. If you're here in summer, lower expectations and enjoy the warm water.

May: The Fading Light

May continues the downward trend: average swell of 1.2m, period of 9.8s. The swell is overwhelmingly from NW (49.4%) and NNW (26.0%), but now over 60% of waves are under 1m. The ideal wind percentage drops to 24%, with onshore NE winds (NE 9.4%, ENE 10.6%) dominating the lower speeds. Offshore southerly flows are scarce (S 2.5%, SSW 1.8%). This is a marginal month: most days offer small, choppy, and groveling surf. However, occasional NW groundswells with a bit more period (10-12s) can still push through, especially if a late-season storm lingers. Those days are rare but can produce clean, fun-sized waves for a grovel board or a log.