Hobe Sound Public Beach • Statistics for March

March: Spring Transition With Appeal In The Long Period

March keeps the winter window open, with an average 4ft (1.2m) swell and the period climbing to 8.2s - one of the longest average periods of the year. The east-northeast quadrant really becomes dominant, pouring in 19.2 percent of swell, while NE adds another 19.4 percent; combined with E and NNE, optimal swell directions make up more than 60 percent of the wave distribution. These longer-period waves carry more energy and arrive with cleaner shape. However, the wind climate starts to shift into a springtime pattern: the Bermuda High begins to pump, and ESE and SE winds become more common. Ideal offshore flow drops to 19 percent, and the lighter west wind days often come just before dawn or after a late-season cold front slides offshore. Air temperatures warm to 21.9°C, water sits at 23.3°C, and the surf remains very rideable - this is the last full month where consistent, quality 4ft waves are a realistic expectation before the summer flats set in.