Point Dume - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (November - March)

The North Pacific roars to life during these months, sending frequent, long-period groundswells from the west and southwest towards the California coast. For Point Dume, this means the most consistent combination of solid swell and favorable offshore winds. With average wave heights hovering around 1.0-1.1m and periods averaging 12+ seconds, the waves pack a punch. The wind data shows ideal offshore (N through NW) conditions over 60% of the time, especially in December and January when high pressure systems settle over the Great Basin, funneling clean north-northeasterly winds down the coast. When a strong low-pressure system parks in the Gulf of Alaska, we see those classic WNW and NW swells that wrap into the South Bay, but for Point Dume's southeast exposure, it's the more southerly angled swells (SW, SSW, S) that truly light up the point, offering long, peeling waves. This is prime time to score.

Fair Surf Season (April & October)

These transitional months offer a mixed bag. April still sees decent average swell heights (1.2m) from winter-like westerly swells, but the wind becomes more variable. The percentage of ideal offshore winds drops to around 58%, with more frequent onshore afternoon sea breezes from the southwest. In October, the summer pattern fades as fall storms begin to develop. Swell heights average lower (0.9m), but the long periods (12.7s) mean that when a good SSW groundswell coincides with a light offshore wind from the north, the waves can be clean and fun-sized. These months require a bit more patience and careful timing, but there are definitely scoreable sessions to be had.

Low Surf Season (May - September)

Summer brings the typical California lull to Point Dume. Average wave heights drop to 0.9-1.1m, and while the wave periods remain surprisingly long (11.8-12.5s) thanks to distant southern hemisphere swells, the size is generally small to fun-sized at best. More critically, the wind pattern shifts. The percentage of ideal offshore winds plummets to 45-54% during this period, with persistent afternoon onshore winds from the southwest and west dominating. These winds create bumpy, choppy conditions that degrade wave quality. The swell direction is often from the SW and WSW, which can be good for the spot, but the accompanying onshore wind ruins the ride. Morning sessions can be glassy, but overall this is the quietest time of year for consistent, quality surf at Point Dume.

August: Late Summer Pulse

August holds steady with 0.9m average swell and a 12.3s period. The swell mix is similar to July: SW (32.5%), WSW (30.6%), and SSW (18.2%) – all optimal directions for Point Dume. The wind quality ticks up to 58% ideal, with westerly (20.6%) and west-southwesterly (20.2%) winds still prevalent but slightly less aggressive. This month can deliver some of the best summer surf when a strong tropical storm or hurricane in the eastern Pacific sends long-period SSW swell our way. These events are rare but can produce fun, glassy waves in the 1-1.5m range. For the most part, August is about small, clean morning waves and afternoon chop. The occasional southern hemi groundswell keeps things interesting.