Sumner Avenue - surf spot statistics

Sumner Avenue offers surfable conditions year-round, but the best months for consistent, quality waves are September through November. During September, ground swell presence increases significantly to 24%, the highest of the year, while wind swell remains dominant at 65%. Swell size averages a decent 0.9m, and wind conditions improve slightly with 26% good wind days—still somewhat marginal but better than most other months. October follows with a solid mix of ground (15%) and wind swells (66%), maintaining a 0.9m average swell size. While wind conditions degrade slightly (21% good winds), the swell consistency remains favorable. November sees a drop in ground swell (11%) but maintains similar conditions to October. Late summer and early fall (August-September) also show promise with August having a noticeable ground swell increase (12%) and September peaking in ground swell contribution. Winter months (December-February) bring more wind swell dominance (62–66%) and poor wind conditions (81–83% bad winds), though swell size stays around 0.8m. Spring and early summer (April-July) suffer from higher wind swell influence (77–84%) and generally unfavorable winds (76–80% bad). While smaller swells (0.7–0.9m) persist, the wind quality makes these months less ideal. Overall, September stands out as the best month for surf with the highest ground swell contribution and marginally better winds, followed by October and November for more balanced conditions.

August at Sumner Avenue offers generally small but rideable waves, with an average swell height of 0.7m and a decent period of 8.0s, providing some energy for surfing. The swell is predominantly from the SE to SSE directions, with the majority of waves (39.7%) in the 0.5-1m range and a smaller but still notable portion (9.8%) reaching 1-1.5m—ideal for intermediate surfers looking for playful, if not powerful, conditions. Larger waves (over 1.5m) are rare, occurring only around 1.5% of the time, so advanced surfers may find the spot lacking in bigger, more challenging swells. Wind conditions are favorable for surfing just 24% of the time, typically when winds are light (under 20kph) and from favorable directions (SW to NW). However, stronger onshore winds from the S to SE can create choppy conditions, particularly when speeds exceed 20kph (which happens frequently). Overall, August is best suited for surfers comfortable with smaller, mellower waves, with the occasional clean session when winds align. Patience and early mornings may be key to scoring the best conditions.