7 - 11 seasonal overview
Best Surf Season (November - March)
The fall-to-spring pattern at 7-11 is ruled by a southward-displaced jet stream and a storm track that runs along or just offshore of the Mid-Atlantic coast. Average surf heights climb to 1.1-1.2m (3.5-4ft) and the wind distribution tilts hard toward the west and northwest -- exactly the offshore directions this ESE-facing sandbar needs. Cold fronts sweep across the region every few days, setting up clean, lined-up peaks as low pressure lifts into the North Atlantic. The main drawback is the cold: water temps plunge as low as 4°C while air temps average near 2-5°C in the heart of winter.
Fair Surf Season (April - May, September - October)
Transition months can still produce some of the best waves of the year, especially when a late-season nor'easter or early tropical storm sends E/ESE groundswell. The trade-off is wind consistency: April and May see more southwest flow and lighter NW offshores, while September and October see longer average periods (7.8-8.3s) and the arrival of Atlantic hurricane swell. These months are less predictable; you have to pick your windows. Water temps are more comfortable, ranging from 9°C in April to 22°C in September.
Low Surf Season (June - August)
Summer is the doldrums at 7-11. Average surf heights drop to 0.8m (2.5ft) and periods shrink to the 6.7-7.2s range. The Bermuda High pumps southwest winds and short-period south/southeast windswell, creating plenty of small, soft days. Tropical storms and hurricanes can interrupt the pattern with powerful SSE/ESE groundswell, but those are the exception. When the ocean does pulse, summer's warm water (22-23°C) makes it feel like a different break than the winter version.