Tombstones - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (June - August)

The winter solstice brings a marked shift in the synoptic pattern across the Southern Ocean. The dominant storm track shifts northward, firing up the Tasman Sea and the Great Australian Bight. This is when Tombstones sees its largest and longest-period swell, averaging 1.5-1.6m with periods pushing 14 seconds. Offshore winds from the south and southwest quadrant blow consistently, keeping the surface glassy. Though the vast majority of the swell arrives from the SSW and SW – not the ideal N to NW window – the long period allows some wrap, especially around the outer reef. The combination of solid size, clean wind, and occasional NW swell makes this the most reliable window for quality waves.

Fair Surf Season (April - May, September - October)

The shoulder months offer a compromise. April and May see the wind ideal percentage climbing to 29-37%, but the average swell height holds steady at 1.3m as the seasons transition. Similarly, September and October still pack a punch with 1.6m average swell and periods above 13s, but the wind consistency drops to 18-12% as the high-pressure belt shift northward. These months can dish out classic surfline days when a proper NW storm track lines up with light S/SSW landbreezes. More often though, you’ll find a lumpy south swell with onshore sea-breeze during the afternoon.

Low Surf Season (November - March)

Summer in the Southern Hemisphere means the storm track is weak and pushed far south. The average swell height sits at just 1.3-1.4m, and the wave period drops to 11-12s, resulting in a lot of windswell that lacks power. The dominant direction remains SSW/SW, which is the wrong angle for Tombstones – most of this energy bypasses the spot or arrives as weak, wrapping lines. The wind is the real sore spot: the ideal S/SSW offshore wind occurs less than 13% of the time, replaced by afternoon sea-breezes from the north and northwest that ruin the surface. Only the rare late-afternoon land breeze or a fading tropical low delivering a NW quadrant swell can salvage a session.

January: The Summer Doldrums

January epitomizes the low season. The average swell height is 1.4m with a period of 11.0s, but the energy is almost exclusively from the SSW (50.7%) and SW (42.6%) – a far cry from the optimal N to NW window. The only recompense is the occasional 1-1.5m wave that wraps in, but more often than not it’s a choppy, unorganized mix. Wind is the killer: just 13% of the time does the S/SSW offshore flow dominate. Instead, the wind is predominantly from the south and southwest, but those are onshore for this NW-facing beach? Actually the S/SSW wind is offshore (good), but the data shows strong winds from S and SSW (31.4% and 36.1% respectively) – these are favorable, but they are often too strong (20-40kph) which creates lumpy conditions even if it’s offshore. The sea breeze from the north and northwest occurs less often but when it does, it’s a washout. Check the dawn patrol for the cleanest windows under light SSW winds.