Roads End - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (October – March)

The heart of the North Pacific winter delivers the goods at Roads End. From October through March, a relentless conveyor belt of extratropical storms spins across the Aleutians and Gulf of Alaska, firing long-period W, WNW, and NW swell into the Oregon coastline. Average wave heights range from a solid 2.0m to a pumping 2.8m, with periods routinely in the 12-13 second range—prime territory for powerful, lined-up waves. Wind is ideal for surfing roughly one-third of the time, often when cool high-pressure ridges settle inland, producing light offshore or side-offshore breezes. These months offer the most consistent combination of size and quality for experienced surfers.

Fair Surf Season (April & September)

April and September act as transitional windows, offering a mix of fading winter energy and building autumn juice. April still sees average swell heights around 2.1m and periods near 11.6s, but ideal wind drops to 20% as spring low-pressure systems bring more variable, often southerly, winds. Conversely, September sees a return of longer-period WNW swell from early-season storms, with average heights around 1.5m and a solid 10.8s period, while the percentage of ideal wind jumps to 27% as fall patterns settle. These months can deliver fun, clean waves on the right days, but consistency drops off noticeably from the core winter peak.

Low Surf Season (May – August)

Summer at Roads End is a quiet affair. From May through August, the average swell height bottoms out between 1.3m and 1.6m, with periods averaging 9.7-10.8s—plenty of 1-1.5m fun-sized waves but rarely the power or size to get the heart racing. The dominant swell direction shifts to a narrow WNW-to-NW band, often wrapping in at less than ideal angles. More critically, the region falls under the influence of the North Pacific High, which drives persistent northwesterly winds. Ideal wind percentages plummet to just 7-14%, meaning onshore or cross-onshore flow is the norm. Surfable waves exist, but you'll be groveling on a shortboard or waiting for an infrequent combo of small W swell and a rare easterly breeze.

January: Winter's Peak Punch

January is the apex of the North Pacific storm track. Deep low-pressure systems regularly dip south of the Aleutians, aiming long-period (12.9s average) swell directly at Roads End. The average height of 2.7m is split primarily between W (20.2%) and WNW (14.0%) swell, with a significant share in the 2-2.5m range—that's pumping, firing territory. The wind is ideal just 33% of the time, but when a high-pressure ridge parks over the interior, light to moderate offshore flow from the east (E/ESE/SE) cleans up the lines perfectly. The rest of the time, S to SSW winds (over 30% combined) bring onshore chop. January delivers epic, heavy conditions for those willing to chase the lulls between fronts.