Sidi Ifni - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (October – March)

The North Atlantic furnishes this Moroccan gem with its most consistent and powerful groundswell during these months. Long-period swells from the NW-to-WNW corridor march in with average heights of 2.0–2.3m and periods often exceeding 12 seconds. Crucially, the frequency of favorable offshore winds – from the E-to-SSE quadrant – peaks between December and February, offering up to 40% clean windows. This is the sweet spot: glassy mornings and groomed, hollow waves at the main point breaks. The NAO’s negative phase often aligns with a southward shift in the Azores High, allowing storm tracks to fire directly into this stretch of coast.

Fair Surf Season (April & September)

April and September serve as transition windows. In April, swell heights average a solid 2.0m, but the period drops to ~11 seconds and the wind reliability falls to just 11%. Persistent northerly trades (N, NNE) dominate, frequently onshore. September sees a slight uptick in offshore wind potential (10%), while swell remains modest (1.5m, 10s). On the rare days when a high-pressure ridge settles over the Canaries, you can score clean, rippable waves before the summer trades return.

Low Surf Season (May – August)

Summer brings the doldrums to Sidi Ifni. The main swell source shifts to local windswell from the NNW – short-period (8–9s) and small (1.5–1.8m). Worse, the trade winds howl from the N and NNW with relentless intensity, leaving only 3–6% of time with offshore conditions. Most days the ocean is a choppy, bumpy mess. The few rideable waves are usually found at dawn, before the seabreeze kicks in. This is the time to travel north or focus on flat-water pursuits.

May: Windswell Creeps In

Average swell height drops to 1.8m, period to 9.5s. The swell direction becomes almost exclusively NNW (68.9%) – more typical of local windswell. Offshore wind is a meager 6% of the time, while N winds blow 39.4% and NNW winds 29.3%. Bottom line: Short-period, choppy surf dominates. Rare mornings with a light E breeze can produce small, fun-sized waves (0.5–1.0m) for groveling – but don’t expect quality.