Pichilemu - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (October - March)

The South Pacific shifts into gear during the southern spring and summer, with the prevailing storm track firing consistent, long-period groundswell from the WSW-SW quadrant. As high pressure builds over the coast, a persistent southerly flow dominates, delivering clean offshore winds from the S-SSW-SW direction over 68-75% of the time. The average wave height hovers around 1.6m, with the 1.5-2m range being most common, while periods lock into the 12-13s sweet spot. This combination of powerful, wrapping swell and glassy wind conditions makes October through March the prime window for scoring classic Pichilemu lefts. The rare northerly onshore winds stay minimal, so quality days are the rule, not the exception.

Fair Surf Season (April & September)

April and September serve as transitional months, where the swell machine keeps pumping but the wind regimes begin to shift. In April, the offshore wind percentage remains high at 74%, though the swell direction starts to broaden slightly with a bit more W and even some NW energy. September sees a resurgence in ideal wind (71%) after the winter trough, with the first hints of the summer pattern. Both months deliver consistent 1.5-2m swell and long periods (12.5-13s), but occasional frontal passages can introduce shorter-period windswell or variable winds. Still, these are solid months with plenty of good-to-great days between the transitions.

Low Surf Season (May - August)

The southern winter months bring a dip in surf quality to Pichilemu, not due to lack of swell but because the wind patterns become less reliable. While the average swell height actually nudges up to 1.7m and periods hold in the 12.5s range, the ideal offshore wind frequency drops to 59-64%. The South Pacific storm track is active, but low pressure systems tracking closer to the coast drag in more frequent northerly and north-easterly winds that blow directly onshore for this north-facing beach. These winds ruin the wave shape, turning otherwise powerful groundswell into choppy, lumpy lines. The best surf during these months requires careful timing of the Southerly blows that follow cold fronts—windows of clean conditions are shorter but can still produce epic sessions when the stars align.

August: Late Winter Hints of Spring

August sees the ideal wind percentage climb back to 64%, with a notable increase in S (16.5%) and SSW (17.6%) winds. The onshore northerly flows (N 8.6%, NNE 8.7%) still persist but are slightly less dominant. Swell averages 1.7m and 12.5s, with the directional spread leaning WSW (49.3%) and SW (28.9%)—the highest SW contribution of the year. This means more direct swell energy wrapping into the bay. Wave heights in the 1.5-2m range account for over 20% of observations, and the 2-2.5m class is also healthy. As the month progresses, longer-period swells (14-16s) from early-season lows become more common. With the increasing southerly wind frequency, August can offer some of the cleanest winter swells—just before the real spring transition takes hold.