San Juan - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (May & September - October)

During these months, the percentage of offshore or light wind conditions peaks, offering the cleanest surfaces despite the small easterly swell. The average wave height hovers around 0.7-0.8m with periods of 5.9-6.1s, making for fun, groveling conditions on log-style equipment. Although the swell direction remains unfavorably from the east, the lighter winds allow for a decent rideable wave, especially at mid-tide.

Fair Surf Season (November - April)

Winter and early spring bring slightly larger average swell heights (0.8-0.9m) thanks to distant North Atlantic storms, but the dominant easterly wind regime often kicks up onshore chop. Only about 20-25% of the time do we get favorable winds, making it a gamble. The infrequent cold front passage can deliver a brief window of north-northwest swell and southerly offshore winds, but those days are rare and require careful timing.

Low Surf Season (June - August)

Summer sees the strongest easterly trade winds, blowing directly onshore and creating bumpy, messy conditions. Swell remains small (0.8-0.9m) and dominated by short-period easterly energy. With ideal wind percentages dropping to 18-22% in July and August, this is the slowest period for quality surf. June offers a slight uptick in favorable wind, but overall it's a time for small waves and wind protection strategies.

April: Wind Improvement, Swell Still Weak

April maintains an average swell of 0.8m and period of 6.0s. Swell directions shift to an even stronger easterly component: ESE (48.1%) and E (34.5%). ENE contributes only 5.7%. Wave heights are mostly in the 0.5-1m range (70.7% of all swell). The good news is that the percentage of ideal wind rises to 30%, the highest so far in the year. This is due to a slight increase in lighter winds and a small uptick in S/SSW/SW directions (combined 2.2%). Nonetheless, the dominant wind is still from the east (E 31.3%, ESE 23.2%). Surfers can expect more frequent clean windows, but the waves will be small and short-period, best suited for high-performance shortboards or grovelers at lower tide.