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.

June: Doldrums Deepen

June marks the lowest average swell height of the year at 0.4m, with a period of 6.6s. The swell is dominated by the SSE quarter (SSE, S, SE) which totals 62.2%, but an overwhelming 45.6% of total swell is below 0.5m from those directions alone. The wind is rarely favorable—ideal offshore only 3% of the time. Onshore winds (S, SSW, SW, SSE) blow 41.7% of the time, with the SW and SSW being the strongest and most consistent. The NW and WNW offshore winds are present but weak and infrequent (12.1%). The surf is essentially flat with a side of chop. The only hope for a rideable wave is a tropical disturbance in the Atlantic that sends a small pulse of south swell and a temporary northerly wind shift—but those are rare. Best to leave the board at home and enjoy the beach.