Hobe Sound Public Beach • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (November - March)

At Hobe Sound Public Beach, the surf year is defined by the struggle between the North Atlantic and the Bermuda High. The beach faces east-northeast, so the most favorable swells roll in from the NNE, NE, ENE and E, while the ideal offshore winds blow from the SSW, SW, WSW and W. That combination only lines up reliably during the winter and early spring. From November through March, average swell height holds at a consistent 4ft (1.2-1.3m) and average wave periods sit in the 7.7-8.2s range. Cold fronts sweeping down the Florida peninsula are the key driver: they inject fresh energy into the North Atlantic, generate NE/ENE groundswell, and then flip the local wind offshore to the west-southwest as they slide east. These post-frontal days are the golden window at Hobe Sound.

Fair Surf Season (April & October)

April and October are transitional months on either side of winter. April still gets plenty of NE/ENE swell, but the strengthening Bermuda High brings more daily onshore E/ESE winds and average wave heights ease to 3ft (1.0m). October is the reverse: NE and ENE swell jumps back to 4ft (1.2m) with an 8.2s period, but the wind regime is still hung over from summer, and ideal offshore flow only occurs about 15 percent of the time. Both months offer quality windows, especially after a frontal passage or during tropical events, but they demand patience and a flexible schedule.

Low Surf Season (May - September)

From May through September, Hobe Sound enters the summer doldrums. The Bermuda High, summer sea breezes and persistent easterly trade winds create a monotonous pattern of small, short-period windswell and onshore surface conditions. Average wave heights range from just 2ft to 3ft (0.6-1.0m), with wave periods in the 6.2-7.8s range. Ideal offshore winds are rare, especially from June through August when the wind blows from the ESE/SE almost all day. The exception is the hurricane season - particularly September - when tropical systems can kick long-period NE/ENE swell into the beach, turning a flat summer month into an unexpected classic. But on average, this is a groveling, patience-testing stretch of the year.