Ozaki - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (April - June & September - October)

Spring and autumn deliver the most promising combination of favorable swell direction and offshore wind windows at Ozaki. As the Pacific storm track begins to shift in April, the dominant Southeast swell builds into a solid, rideable range, while the frequency of offshore winds from the west and northwest increases. May is a standout month, with a notable jump in ideal wind conditions (up to 23% of the time) and a healthy share of Southeast swell in the 0.5-1.5m range. June continues the trend, though local sea breezes often kick in by midday. The autumn months of September and October see a resurgence of long-period Southeast and East-Southeast swell, driven by early-season typhoons and strengthening extratropical lows. While the wind is less consistent than in spring, the quality of the surf when the stars align – clean, lined-up Southeast groundswell with light offshore flow – is unmatched. This is the window to plan your trip for maximum potential.

Fair Surf Season (March & July - August & November)

March marks the transitional shift out of winter, with the average swell height nudging upward and offshore wind chances improving to 11%. However, the swell mix is often a messy combination of short-period east and southeast windswell, keeping wave quality inconsistent. The summer months of July and August see the highest percentage of offshore wind windows – up to 30% in July – due to a persistent thermal low driving afternoon sea breezes and a more stable westerly flow in the mornings. Yet, the swell direction shifts almost exclusively to south and south-southwest, which are less than optimal for Ozaki's east-southeast facing beach. Waves become more crumbly and less organized, though occasionally a long-period southern hemi swell can produce punchy, fun-sized waves. November offers a similar story to March: declining swell energy and a return to easterly swell dominance, but the offshore wind frequency holds at 12%, making for a few glassy sessions between winter storms.

Low Surf Season (December - February)

The height of winter is the least reliable time for quality surf at Ozaki. Average swell heights hover around 0.6-0.7m, and the wave period, while often in the 8-9 second range, is frequently chopped by strong onshore winds from the north-northeast. The offshore wind window (west to northwest) is present but only 6-10% of the time, and those rare clean days are often accompanied by small, weak swell. The dominant swell directions shift to east and east-southeast, which are directly onshore, ruining shape. Persistent high-pressure systems over Siberia drive cold northwesterly winds that often blow too hard (20-40 km/h), either destroying the surface or creating an onshore cross-wind. For the dedicated surfer, patience is key: the occasional long-period eastern swell can sneak through during a brief high-pressure ridge, offering a few makeable, if small, waves. But this is the season of groveling and chasing micro-sessions.

January: The Winter Lull in Full Swing

January is the nadir of the Ozaki surf calendar. The average swell height scrapes by at only 0.6m, with a majority of those waves falling below 0.5m. The dominant swell direction is from the East-Southeast (16%) and Southeast (12.3%), both of which are directly onshore for this East-Southeast facing beach, delivering choppy, short-period windswell. The average period of 8.6s suggests occasional punch, but it's rarely clean. The wind picture is dominated by strong Northwest and West-Northwest flow (over 38% combined), which, while offshore, is often blowing at 20-40 km/h, creating a bumpy surface. Ideal offshore wind from the west/northwest window occurs only 6% of the time. When a weak high-pressure system settles in, you might score glassy, knee-thigh high waves, but these moments are fleeting. This month is strictly for the hardcore longboarder or the traveler with no other option.