Playa del Borrego - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (November - February)

The heart of winter delivers the most reliable combination of clean offshores and long-period groundswells to Playa del Borrego. Deep North Pacific lows send powerful WNW to W groundswells across the Pacific, and while this direction is not directly optimal for the SW-facing beach, the refraction and wrap around Cabo Corrientes can produce punchy, serviceable waves. More importantly, the region settles under a persistent high-pressure ridge that funnels steady offshore winds from N to ENE, keeping the surface glassy. Average wave heights hover in the 0.5-1m range, but the 12-13s period adds plenty of push, making it ideal for longboarding or fun-sized shortboard sessions. This is your window for reliable, clean surf with a high success rate.

Fair Surf Season (March - April & October)

The shoulder months see a gradual shift in the atmospheric pattern. As the winter ridge weakens, the frequency of offshore winds drops to around 50-57%, and gentle seabreezes become more common. Swell direction rotates more toward the SW-to-WSW spectrum, which directly lights up the beach with more consistent, rippable lines. March still carries excellent long-period energy from late-winter storms, while October sees the first signs of renewed North Pacific action after the summer lull. Surf quality is good, but you'll need to pick your windows carefully to avoid the increasing afternoon onshores.

Low Surf Season (May - September)

The summer months are dominated by a persistent trough that locks in unfavourable onshore winds from SW-W, frequently ruining the wave face. Ironically, the swell direction is at its best during this season – with frequent long-period SSW and SW groundswells generated by Southern Hemisphere storms and tropical activity. Average wave heights remain around 0.9-1m with 13-14s periods, offering incredible potential. However, the wind is ideal only 27-45% of the time. When a rare cool front or early-season tropical storm aligns with offshore N winds, the place can absolutely fire with hollow, rifling peaks. Otherwise, expect bumpy, chopped-out conditions. This is a season for the patient surfer willing to hunt for the early-morning miracles.

August: The Tropical Wildcard

August is similar to July but with an added layer: tropical storms and hurricanes in the Eastern Pacific can send large, long-period SSW swell. The dominant swell splits between SSW (49.9%) and SW (49.1%), with the best heights in the 0.5-1m range, but 14.7% of SSW hits 1-1.5m and a small percentage reaches 1.5-2m. Ideal wind holds at 45%. The wind pattern is fairly balanced, with offshore sectors (NE, ENE, E) each around 5-7%, and onshore W and WNW around 8-10%. August often delivers the biggest waves of the summer due to tropical activity. When the wind plays ball – often during a post-tropical ridge – you can score epic, hollow conditions.