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Praia do Norte - surf spot statistics
Praia do Norte seasonal overview
Best Surf Season (October - March)
The North Atlantic flexes its muscles during this half-year, delivering consistent, powerful groundswells that put Praia do Norte on the big-wave map. Average swell heights hover between 2.1 and 2.4 meters with long periods of 12 to 13 seconds, fueled by deep extratropical lows tracking across the basin. Ideal offshore wind conditions (from the NW through WSW quadrant) occur between 44% and 53% of the time, often aligning with post-frontal high pressure that clears the skies and carves the faces. This is the time for charging.
Fair Surf Season (April & September)
These transitional months see a slight drop in average swell height to 1.8 m in April and 1.5 m in September, but periods remain respectable at 11.2 and 10.5 seconds. The westerly swell window (SW to WNW) still provides punchy to powerful waves, and ideal wind frequencies of 35% and 39% offer plenty of clean sessions. Spring and early autumn can surprise with a rogue storm lining up a solid west swell under crisp offshore winds.
Low Surf Season (May - August)
During these summer months, the North Atlantic settles into a lull. Average swell heights drop to 1.3-1.5 m and periods shorten to 8.7-10.0 seconds, with a dominant NW-NNW component that often lacks the angle to fully wrap into Praia do Norte. The trade wind regime strengthens, and the frequency of ideal offshore winds plummets to 21-31%. While the occasional fun-sized wave can be found, consistent quality is elusive. This is the time for groveling or exploring other spots.
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Conditions at Praia do Norte in February
February: Consistency in the Deep
February mirrors January with an average swell height of 2.4 m and period of 13.0 seconds. The swell distribution is nearly identical, with WNW (23.7%) and NW (22.7%) dominating. A notable increase in NNW swell (9.0%) suggests more north-pack energy from high-latitude storms. The ideal wind percentage drops slightly to 47%, but the overall pattern remains similar. N and NNW winds combine for 27% of observations, but they aren't ideal; the truly offshore component (NW-WSW) makes up about 20% of winds. The NAO index often remains in a negative or neutral phase, locking storm tracks over the British Isles and sending frequent low-pressure systems toward Portugal. This keeps Praia do Norte pumping with consistent, heavy surf.
Average Spot conditions at Praia do Norte in February
Swell history for February
Wind history for February
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Praia do Norte during February. Based on historical data, there is a % probability of groundswell occurring this month. The chart below provides a detailed breakdown of the average wave height distribution, offering deep insights into the swell quality and surf potential you can expect at Praia do Norte for your next trip in February.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Praia do Norte for February. Our analysis shows that favorable offshore or side-shore winds coincide with surfable swell approximately % of the time. The accompanying graph illustrates the average size distribution of waves during these optimal wind windows at Praia do Norte.