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Conditions at Cardiff Reef in March
March: Big Swell, But the Spring Wind Shift Arrives
March still produces an average swell height around 3-4ft (1.1m) and an average period of 12.6s, so size and power are not the issue. The swell mix trades some pure W for more WSW (39.0%) and SW (13.2%) energy, while W continues at 44.4%. That keeps Cardiff's favorite directions heavily represented, with 3-5ft (1-1.5m) sets common and occasional 5-7ft (1.5-2m) bombs from the westerly component.
The limiting factor is wind. The ideal offshore percentage drops to 27 percent as the Pacific High strengthens and W/WNW afternoon winds become more frequent. Westerly wind observations (W 20.4%, WNW 14.2%, WSW 11.8%) begin to dominate the wind rose. This is the classic winter swell meets spring onshore month: score a dawn patrol with east/northeast wind and the reef can still be world-class, but by midday it often turns bumpy and lumpy.
Average Spot conditions at Cardiff Reef in March
Swell history for March
Wind history for March
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Cardiff Reef during March. Based on historical data, there is a % probability of groundswell occurring this month. The chart below provides a detailed breakdown of the average wave height distribution, offering deep insights into the swell quality and surf potential you can expect at Cardiff Reef for your next trip in March.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Cardiff Reef for March. Our analysis shows that favorable offshore or side-shore winds coincide with surfable swell approximately % of the time. The accompanying graph illustrates the average size distribution of waves during these optimal wind windows at Cardiff Reef.