Gold Beach • Statistics for September

September: The Season Starts to Stir

September is the turn of the tide at Gold Beach. Although the swell is still modest - averaging 5ft (1.6m) - the period climbs back to 10.8s, signalling the return of more organised groundswell. The swell rose remains NW/WNW-dominated, with WNW at 33.1 percent, NW at 31.0 percent, and W at 15.0 percent, and there are more 5-8ft (1.5-2.5m) pulses than in mid-summer. Wind speeds begin to ease and, crucially, the ideal wind percentage jumps to 25 percent as NNE winds appear at 19.1 percent, NNW at 25.1 percent and N at 17.6 percent. That means more clean windows with better surface texture, especially in the mornings. Autumn is also a rainier month in the Pacific Northwest, but at only 1.21mm/day it won't shut things down. Air temps are mild at 15.1°C and water temp peaks at 11.7°C. September is a quality-over-quantity month, offering a glimpse of the winter power to come.