Blacks Beach • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (December - February)

The North Pacific delivers its finest work during the heart of winter. As the Aleutian Low strengthens across the Gulf of Alaska, a steady stream of extratropical storms pushes long-period W and WNW groundswells toward Southern California. At Blacks Beach, the west-facing exposure lines up perfectly with this swell window, producing consistent, powerful waves. December through February stands out as the peak of the calendar, with average swell heights around 1.0-1.1m (3-3.6ft) and average wave periods locked in the powerful 12-13s range. What really sets these months apart is the wind. High pressure building over the Great Basin and interior deserts creates clean offshore flow from the ENE through SE quadrants 40-50 percent of the time. That combination of reliable west-northwest swell and glassy morning wind makes for the most surfable days of the year.

Fair Surf Season (March - April & October - November)

The shoulder months offer a mixed bag at Blacks. March still sees solid W and WSW swell, but offshore wind percentages drop sharply as the spring sea breeze regime begins to take hold. April holds average heights near 1.1m (3.6ft) with very long periods (13.3s), yet ideal wind plummets to 19 percent, so you really have to pick your dawn windows. In the fall, October marks the slow awakening from the summer doldrums as the first North Pacific lows push south. Swell heights are still modest, but the direction shifts from SW back toward W, and by November ideal wind jumps to 40 percent. This makes November a genuine pre-winter gem, often delivering the same quality as early season spots further north but with warmer water and lighter crowds.

Low Surf Season (May - September)

From May through September, Blacks Beach falls under the dominance of the Eastern Pacific High. The strong North Pacific storm track retreats to the north, and the wave window flips to a mostly S/SW orientation. Average swell heights hover around 0.9-1.0m (3-3.3ft) with long periods, but the direction is far less efficient than the W/NW winter swells. More critically, the wind regime turns against you: ideal offshore flow drops to between 1 and 8 percent, while onshore W and WNW winds blow straight into the beach on a daily basis. The summer sea breeze wreaks havoc on the surface, turning what might be groomed southern hemi swell into roughed-up, windblown waves. Water temps climb to a warm 19.6°C (67°F) in August, but the lack of clean, organized surf makes this a low season for serious wave riding.