Stockton - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (October - March)

The North Atlantic roars to life during these months, and Stockton begins to see a marked uptick in both average swell height and period as strong extratropical storms march across the basin. With the south-facing orientation, the optimal swell directions from the S, SSW, SSE, and even SE become more prevalent. At the same time, the dominant high pressure builds in, delivering a higher frequency of offshore winds from N, NNW, NW, and NNE. This combination produces the most consistent and rideable waves of the year, with average heights hovering around 0.7m and periods often reaching the punchy 6-9s range. While truly firing days are rare due to the generally small size, when a low pressure sets up perfectly, we can see long period S swells wrapping in under sunny skies and light offshore breezes, creating fun, rippable conditions.

Fair Surf Season (April - May & September)

As the winter pattern fades, April and May offer a transitional mix. The swell window remains open to southern hemi swells, but the average height drops to 0.5-0.6m and periods lag around 6.6-6.7s. Offshore wind frequency decreases, and onshore southerlies become more common, especially in May. September sees a modest revival as early autumn lows begin to spin up, bringing average heights back to 0.6m and the highest average period of the year at 8.0s. However, the wind becomes a bigger factor, with ideal offshore conditions only 9% of the time. During these shoulder months, you have to pick your windows carefully to find clean, waist-high surf.

Low Surf Season (June - August)

Summer is the doldrums at Stockton. The North Atlantic settles down, and the dominant swell is from the SE, SSE, and S, but almost exclusively under 0.5m. The average height drops to 0.4m with periods up to 7.3s, but the combination of small, weak swell and frequent onshore winds from the S, SSW, and SW makes for choppy, messy conditions. Offshore wind is a rare commodity, clocking in at only 2-4% of the time. The few rideable days come from a stray tropical storm or a brief northerly wind event, but generally it's a time for groveling on micro-swell or enjoying other water activities. The surf is simply too small and wind-affected to produce quality waves.

December: Winter Is Coming

December rounds out the year with an average swell height of 0.7m and a period of 6.3s—similar to January. The swell directions show a healthy mix: S, SSE, SSW combined account for 24.4% of the energy, with a good portion in the 0.5-1m range. The wind pattern favors offshore conditions again: ideal wind 6% of the time, but NW and WNW winds are strong at 28.8% (combined). Onshore winds from the S, SSW, and SW blow 20.5%. The winter storm track is active, and cold fronts regularly sweep through, switching the wind to the north and pushing in short period swell from the north and west. However, the best swell for Stockton comes from a low that tracks close enough to the coast to generate S swell before the front passes. Those days can produce waist-high, clean waves with a bit of punch. December is a solid month for consistent, if sometimes messy, surf—you just have to be ready to go when the wind and swell align.