Puro Pinget - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (December - February)

The heart of the North Pacific winter drives consistent, powerful N and NNW swell trains into the West Philippine Sea, giving Puro Pinget its most reliable size and period. Average wave heights hover between 1.0m and 1.2m with periods in the 7.5-8.0s range, offering punchy, rideable waves that can rival more exposed breaks when the wind cooperates. However, the trade-off is the persistent northeasterly monsoon, which brings frequent onshore flow from the N and NNE quadrants. The sweet spot comes when a passing cold front or low pressure to the east allows the wind to clock around to the south or southwest, creating clean, offshore conditions. These windows are relatively brief but highly rewarding, often delivering fun, lined-up sets.

Fair Surf Season (March - April & October - November)

During these transitional months, the monsoon pattern weakens and the swell window becomes more mixed. March and April see the last gasps of north swell with average heights dropping to 0.7m and 0.5m and periods shortening to 6.6s and 5.9s. While the north component still dominates, the energy is weaker and more inconsistent. October and November are more promising, as the early winter storms begin to rekindle. Average heights climb back to 1.1m and periods reach 7.7-7.8s, and the wind ideal percentage rises to 18-22% — a slight improvement over the dead of winter. Expect occasional fun-sized sessions with a mix of N and NNW swell, especially when a building high pressure system sets up a southerly flow.

Low Surf Season (May - September)

The southwest monsoon dominates the Philippine summer, shifting the primary swell direction to SW and WSW. For a break that faces NNW, these swells arrive with very little energy — most of the wave action is either blocked by the island or barely wraps in. Average heights remain in the 0.8-1.1m range, but the period is lackluster (5.7-7.2s) and the waves are often small, weak, and wind-affected. The wind ideal percentage does peak during June-August at 27-32% as the prevailing S and SSW winds become offshore at this spot, but without quality swell from the correct direction, there is simply not enough power to generate surfable waves. May, June, and July are especially poor, with the majority of the swell under 1m and coming from the south. August sees slightly better heights due to typhoon activity in the region, but those swells often arrive from the WNW or NW — a marginal direction at best. This is a season for swimming or exploring other spots, not for serious surfing at Puro Pinget.

May: Southwest monsoon arrives

May sees a dramatic shift in the swell spectrum as the southwest monsoon takes hold. The N/NNE component collapses to just 23%, while the SW and WSW sectors jump to over 33% combined. These swells come from behind the island, resulting in extremely small, weak waves — 80% of all observations are under 0.5m. The average height is only 0.5m with a period of 5.7s. On the bright side, the wind improves: the ideal offshore directions (S, SSW, SW, WSW) blow 43% of the time, with many hours in the 10-20 kph range. But without an incoming swell of any quality, the ocean remains mostly flat. A rare exception is if a tropical depression in the South China Sea sends a long-period swell from the SW, which can reach Puro Pinget’s shadowed waters, but even then the waves are weak and short-lived.