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.

Sumner Avenue in March offers mostly small to mid-sized swells, with an average height of 0.9m and a decent period of 7.8s, providing some ridable waves, though often on the softer side. The dominant swell directions are from the southeast (SE, SSE, ESE), which align best with the beach's orientation, bringing the most consistent wave heights—particularly in the 0.5-1.5m range (peaking around 9.59% for SSE swells at 0.5-1m). Larger swells (1.5-2.5m) occur occasionally, mostly from the E to SSE sectors, but are less frequent. Wind conditions are less favorable, with only 17% of winds being offshore or light enough for clean surf. The prevailing winds tend to come from the NW to WSW, often blowing at 10-30kph, which can create choppy or cross-shore conditions. Surfers should watch for days when winds shift E or SE, as these can offer cleaner waves, though stronger swells will be needed to overcome the typically small conditions. Overall, March is a mixed month—rideable but not consistently high-quality, requiring patience for the occasional good session.