Pigsty - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (October - March)

The North Atlantic roars to life during these months as the polar jet stream strengthens and deepens, dragging a conveyor belt of powerful extratropical cyclones across the Norwegian Sea. Average swell heights climb from 1.3m in October to a peak of 1.6m in January, with periods regularly pushing into the 8-9s range. The dominant swell directions – WSW, W, WNW, and NW – align perfectly with Pigsty's west-northwest exposure, delivering consistent, groomed lines. Offshore winds from the east-northeast through southeast quadrant (ONO, O, OSO, SO) occur in the wake of passing lows, often under clearing skies. Despite a relatively low ideal wind frequency (11-15%), the combination of ample swell and occasional clean windows makes this the prime window for Pigsty's pumping, heavy, and firing waves.

Fair Surf Season (April & September)

April and September represent transitional months where the clash of spring and autumn patterns yields mixed results. In April, the average swell drops to 0.9m with a period of 7.5s as the storm track weakens. However, a high percentage of swell still arrives from the optimal W-NW directions (over 50%), offering fun-sized, rippable waves on the better days. September sees a slight uptick to 1.0m and 7.1s, with the first autumn lows beginning to rekindle the Atlantic. Ideal wind frequency hovers around 9-12%, meaning patience and a keen eye on the forecast are required to catch the windows when light offshore flow aligns with solid, long-period swell.

Low Surf Season (May - August)

From May through August, Pigsty enters a deep slumber. The North Atlantic high-pressure system dominates, suppressing storm activity and delivering average swell heights of just 0.7-0.8m and periods below 7s. The majority of swell arrives from the NW and W, but at small, groveling sizes (mostly under 1.5m). Onshore winds from the west and northwest are prevalent due to thermal gradients, and ideal offshore winds become scarce (only 6% frequency in June, July, and August). While the occasional WNW groundswell might sneak in, the combination of weak, short-period swell and unfavorable wind makes this period largely one for longboarders or travelers seeking more consistent waves elsewhere.

September: The Turning Point

September marks the transition out of the summer doldrums. The average swell height rises to 1.0m and the average period to 7.1s. The optimal swell directions – W (13.8%), WNW (13.8%), NW (16.3%), and WSW (10.1%) – again account for over half of the wave energy. Importantly, the percentage of waves in the 1-1.5m range (fun, solid) increases noticeably, and there's a small but real presence of 1.5-2.5m swell. The wind situation improves slightly, with ideal offshore conditions occurring 9% of the time. While still dominated by onshore NNW winds (14.2%) and SE winds (10.9%), the frequency of moderate offshore ESE and E winds grows. The first strong extratropical storms of autumn begin to spin up, sending long-period swell that Pigsty can capture. When these swells arrive with a clearing, easterly breeze, the surf can quickly go from flat to rippable. September is a month of hope and potential.