Gold Beach • Statistics for April

April: Transitional Swell and Cleaner Windows

April marks a noticeable step down in size but not in quality potential. Average swell heights ease to 7ft (2.1m) while the average period drops slightly to 11.7s - still a strong, rideable mid-period signal. The swell distribution becomes even more WNW-dominated, with WNW at 30.4 percent, W at 20.2 percent, and NW at 13 percent. Some of these north-of-west swells are less than ideal for the WSW-facing beach, but the W and WSW component continues to provide good surf. The wind field starts to shift: NNW winds become the most common direction at 21.1 percent, while S and SSE winds still make up a sizable onshore component. Ideal wind percentages fall to 19 percent, but the frequency of lighter NW/NNW mornings adds more surfable windows than the number suggests. Air temps warm to 8.9°C, rainfall drops to 4.38mm/day, and the water temp slowly rises to 11.2°C. Spring green room potential is real on the better W/SW swells.