Parlementia - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (October - March)

The North Atlantic flexes its muscles from October through March, delivering consistent, powerful groundswells that march straight into Parlementia's NW-facing bay. Average surf heights sit in the 1.3-1.8m range with periods of 11-13s, meaning you get pumping, heavy waves during the peak. Offshore winds (S/SSW/SW/WSW) blow 36-51% of the time, often triggered by highs building over the Bay of Biscay. The NAO index tends to be negative or neutral, steering the jet stream south and fuelling extratropical storms that send long-period WNW and NW swell right in. When it all aligns, Parlementia fires.

Fair Surf Season (April & September)

April and September are transitional months where the swell machine slows but still offers fun, rippable waves. Average heights dip to 1.1-1.2m with periods around 10.6-11.0s – still punchy, but less consistent. Offshore wind frequency drops to 29%, making it a game of reading the charts. The Azores High starts to nudge north in April and retreats in September, mixing in longer gaps between groundswells and more variable conditions. You won't score epic sessions every day, but when the combo works, the lineup is uncrowded and the waves are solid.

Low Surf Season (May - August)

Summer in the Bay of Biscay is a quiet affair. From May to August, average swell height hovers around 0.9-1.0m and periods drop to 9.0-10.1s – mostly small, fun-sized grovelers. The dominant NW windswell is often accompanied by onshore winds (W/WNW/NW/NNW) that blow 40-50% of the time, leaving only 15-23% offshore conditions. The Azores High parks itself over the region, producing light but often unfavourable breezes. While micro-sessions on a longboard are possible, don't expect firing waves. The odd late-summer hurricane remnant or distant low can produce a brief spike, but reliability is low.

March: The Last Gasp of Winter

March still holds winter power, but the average swell height eases to 1.6m with a period of 12.2s. Swell is split almost evenly between WNW (40.3%) and NW (40.6%), so the window is wide open. Offshore wind frequency drops to 36%, meaning you'll need to time your sessions with the fronts. The W and WSW winds (11.2% + 6.2%) become more common – these are onshore at Parlementia, so quality is lower. However, when a high-pressure ridge builds off Portugal, it can deliver light SE to S breezes, cleaning up the leftover winter swell. March is a transition month: still solid, but less predictable than January and February.