Stent Road - surf spot statistics

Stent Road in New Zealand is a consistent surf spot with year-round swell, primarily driven by ground swells, which dominate between 67-79% of the time. Wind swells contribute the rest, but there is rarely a flat day (0% no swell). The mean swell size increases from summer to winter, peaking at 2.5m from June to October, making these months ideal for larger waves. However, wind conditions are challenging, with bad winds (onshore or cross-shore) occurring 82-89% of the time year-round. The best balance of swell size and slightly improved wind conditions occurs in autumn (April-May) and late winter (August), where ground swells remain strong (76-79%) and mean swell hovers around 2.1-2.5m, though winds are still unfavorable 83-85% of the time. Summer (January-March) offers smaller swells (1.8-1.9m) and marginally better winds (13-18% good conditions), but the waves are less powerful. Overall, Stent Road is most rewarding for experienced surfers willing to tolerate tricky winds, with the biggest and cleanest opportunities likely in late autumn and early winter (May-July). For smaller but slightly more manageable conditions, February and March provide a modest window before winds deteriorate further into spring and summer.

February at Stent Road offers decent surf conditions with an average swell height of 1.8m and a strong period of 11.9s, indicating well-organized, powerful waves. The dominant swell directions are WSW (16.24% in the 1-1.5m range, 17.62% in 1.5-2m) and SW (11.07% in 1-1.5m), delivering consistent, rideable waves. Larger swells (2m+) are frequent from WSW (10.71% in 2-2.5m, 0.74% over 2.5m) and SSW (0.58% in 2-2.5m), providing opportunities for more advanced surfers. However, winds are less reliable, with only 18% of the time being ideal. SE and WSW winds often exceed 20kph (3.25% and 4.01% respectively in 20-30kph range), potentially creating choppy conditions, while lighter offshore winds (NNE, NE) are less common. Overall, February sees solid swells but inconsistent wind conditions—best sessions occur when lighter winds coincide with WSW/SW swells.