Yoff Beach - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (October - March)

Winter unleashes the full power of the North Atlantic. Average wave heights hold steady between 1.5m and 1.8m with long periods often exceeding 12 seconds, delivering heavy, powerful lines. The vast majority of the swell arrives from the NNW, wrapping directly into Yoff’s north-northeast facing beach. However, the persistent trade winds blow from the north and northeast, creating messy, onshore conditions for roughly 99% of the time. The magic happens when a passing cold front or a shift in the Azores High weakens the trades, allowing light to moderate offshore winds from the south and southwest to groom the waves. Those windows are fleeting but pure gold – expect epic, long-period walls when they align.

Fair Surf Season (April - May & September)

The transition months bridge the extremes. Swell size backs down a notch to 1.3-1.7m and periods settle into the 9-11 second range, providing punchy, rippable waves. The wind pattern begins to improve, especially in September when the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) pushes north and southwesterly flow becomes more common. April and May still see a fair share of north winds, but the frequency of offshore directions (S, SSW, SW, WSW) increases, offering cleaner conditions than the winter peak. These months are a sweet spot for consistent, user-friendly surf with fewer crowds.

Low Surf Season (June - August)

Summer is the slow season for wave energy. Average heights drop to 1.3m and periods shorten to 8-9 seconds, resulting in smaller, mushier waves. The swell shifts to a more westerly direction, wrapping from the NW and WNW, which still hits the beach but lacks the punch of winter. The saving grace is the wind: the African monsoon and a northward shift in the ITCZ replace the dry northerly trades with frequent southwesterly offshore breezes. Ideal wind conditions occur 30-43% of the time, making the waves glassy but small. It’s a great season for longboards, funboards, or groveling on a shortboard beneath sunny skies.

April: Spring Transition Begins

April sees the first, subtle shift in the seasonal patterns. Average swell height dips to 1.7m and the period drops to 10.8s, indicating a mix of groundswell and local windswell. The swell direction is still overwhelmingly NNW (88%), but the energy is decreasing. The wind remains predominantly onshore – north winds blow 62% of the time – but there is a slight uptick in offshore breezes (3% ideal wind, up from 1%). The trade wind regime starts to weaken, and occasional pulses of southwesterly flow appear, especially later in the month. The surf can be fun and punchy during these windows, offering a taste of the cleaner conditions to come.