Puerto Escondido - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (May - September)

The southern hemisphere winter kicks into high gear, sending long-period SSW and SW groundswells marching northward toward the Mexican coast. During these months, average swell heights hover between 1.5m and 1.7m with periods routinely exceeding 13 seconds. The dominant wind regime shifts to a favorable mix of offshore NNW, NW, WNW, and W breezes, providing clean, groomed surfaces on the famous beachbreaks. While the occasional Tehuano wind event can disrupt, the overall consistency of solid, powerful southwest swell makes this the prime window for reeling lefts and heavy barrels at the pipeline.

Fair Surf Season (October - April)

As the northern hemisphere autumn and winter progress, the swell source transitions to a blend of distant North Pacific storms and lingering southern hemi pulses. October through April sees average wave heights ranging from 1.1m to 1.5m, with periods still solid (13-14s) but less frequent XXL days. Wind quality becomes more variable: the offshore North Pacific high-pressure system often delivers light NW to WNW winds in the mornings, but afternoons can deteriorate into onshore SW or S breezes. This season offers excellent sessions, especially when a strong cold front aligns with a passing southern swell, but expect more patience required between clean sets.

Low Surf Season (November - February)

During the core northern hemisphere winter, the dominant swell direction becomes more varied, with a notable increase in east and southeast swell components that are less favorable for the west-southwest-facing coast. Wave heights average between 1.1m and 1.3m, and while periods remain long (13-14s), the energy often arrives from directions that fail to properly wrap into the bay. Offshore wind windows become narrower, especially in December and January when the North Pacific high strengthens and pushes stronger NW winds, causing bumpy conditions. November and February offer slightly better odds as transitional months, but overall, this is the period of smallest and least consistent surf.

April: Southern Swell Dominance & Morning Offshore Windows

April is the month when the SSW swell train truly takes over, accounting for a massive 68.5% of all wave energy. Average height increases to 1.5m with a 14.1s period – very powerful, long-period waves. Despite the consistent swell, wind ideal percentage is only 10%, the lowest of the year. This is because the dominant wind directions are onshore WSW (15.3%) and S (3.9%), along with strong WNW (24.6%) and W (20.1%) that create sizable but often messy surf. The best conditions occur when a cold front pushes through, bringing a brief window of NNW or NW offshore wind. April demands a tactical approach: monitor wind forecasts closely and be ready to paddle out during those early, clean hours.