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.

In May, Sumner Avenue offers surfers relatively small but consistent conditions, with an average swell height of 0.9m and a decent period of 7.4s, contributing to manageable and sometimes playful waves. The most common swell directions are from the ESE to SSE, delivering the majority of rideable waves in the 0.5–1.5m range, with occasional bigger sets up to 2.5m. The wind, however, is often a limiting factor—only 23% of the time does it align favorably for surfing, predominantly from the NNW to NE, keeping conditions clean. Stronger winds from the SSW and SW can create choppier, less ideal situations. While not a powerhouse month, May provides surfable days for those willing to hunt for the right tide and wind windows, best suited for longboarders or those comfortable with smaller, mushy waves.