Tonel - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (October - March)

The North Atlantic roars to life during these months, delivering consistent, powerful swell to Tonel. Average wave heights range from 1.8m to 2.4m with periods often exceeding 12 seconds, bringing long-period, heavy surf. Ideal offshore wind conditions—typically from the northeast through southeast—occur 20-28% of the time, offering frequent windows of clean, glassy waves. The combination of strong extratropical cyclones and favorable pressure gradients makes this the prime window for serious surf.

Fair Surf Season (April & September)

These transition months see a noticeable drop in average swell size (1.5-1.9m) and period (10-11s), but still provide a decent number of rideable days. Ideal wind frequencies hover around 17-20%, and while cold fronts are less frequent, occasional NW swells can still produce solid, clean surf when the wind aligns from the eastern quadrants.

Low Surf Season (May - August)

Summer settles in with persistent small, short-period swell averaging 1.4-1.6m and periods dropping to 8-10s. Ideal wind percentages fall below 13%, and the dominant NW-NNW swell directions are often accompanied by onshore winds that chop up the waves. This is the time for groveling gear and waiting for rare upswings in swell energy. Still, early mornings with light east winds can yield fun, clean waves.

September: Resurgence Begins

September signals a clear shift: swell height rises to 1.5m with period 10.4s. NW swells (47.1%) still dominate, but the average period increase indicates returning groundswell energy. Ideal wind jumps to 20% as the first cold fronts sweep south. N and NE winds become more reliable (N at 18.6%), offering clean offshore conditions. This month bridges the summer lull and the winter power, delivering increasingly consistent, quality surf.