Stoney Beach - surf spot statistics

Stoney Beach in New Zealand offers surfable conditions year-round, but the best months for quality waves generally fall between April and August. During these months, the swell consistency improves, with ground swell percentages peaking at 57-60%, offering cleaner and more organized waves compared to the wind swell-dominated summer months. The mean swell size also increases to around 2.0-2.2m, providing more powerful rides. However, wind conditions remain challenging, with only 17-22% of days seeing favorable offshore or light winds, while onshore or strong winds prevail most of the time. The winter months (June-July) see slightly better wind stats, but surfers should still expect a majority of less-than-ideal wind days. From September onwards, ground swell decreases, and wind swell becomes more dominant again, leading to less consistent conditions. January and December have the highest wind swell influence (66-68%), smaller waves (1.7m), and the worst wind stats, making them the least reliable for good surf. For consistent swell size and better ground swell contribution, target late autumn to early spring, but be prepared for variable winds. Ideal sessions here are rare, so flexibility and local knowledge are key.

Stoney Beach in September typically offers a mixed bag of surf conditions, with an average swell height of 1.9m and a decent period of 10.5s, suggesting well-formed and moderately powerful waves. The most consistent swells come from the SSW and SW directions, producing surfable waves (1.5m+) around 80% of the time, with SSW swells delivering the largest waves (peaking at 2.5m+ in 5.8% of cases). ENE and NE swells also contribute, though with slightly less consistency in size. Wind conditions are less favorable, with only 20% of days offering ideal offshore or light winds, predominantly from the ENE to ESE sectors. However, moderate to strong onshore winds from the N through SW are common, particularly from the SSW and SW, which can create choppy or blown-out conditions. For experienced surfers, September at Stoney Beach can provide solid rides when the swell and wind align, but expect variable quality due to frequent onshore winds. Keep an eye on the SSW swell events paired with ENE winds for the best windows.