Picnic Tables • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (October - March)

Picnic Tables is an east-facing break that comes alive when the North Atlantic begins to throw consistent NE through ESE swell toward the coast. From October through March, the average surf height bounces between 2.5 and 3.5ft (0.8 and 1.0m) and periods stay in the 8.2-8.6s range, giving the lineup a punchy, rideable pulse. This is also the time of year when cold fronts push through with westerly wind behind them, and the SW-WSW-W-WNW offshore quadrant sets up the cleanest conditions. November is the statistical peak of the year, with an average 3.3ft (1.0m) of E/ENE swell, while December and February offer the highest percentage of favorable winds. When the NAO is neutral or negative, the eastern seaboard storm track strengthens even more and sends longer-period NE/ENE pulses toward the break.

Fair Surf Season (April - May & September)

Spring and early fall are transitional. April still holds some E/ENE swell around 2.5ft (0.8m), but the wind rose becomes dominated by ESE/SE onshore flow, which cuts into quality. May is noticeably smaller and more dependent on pure E/ESE swell as the trade-wind pattern takes over. September, on the other hand, is the first month where the Atlantic wakes back up: periods jump to around 9.0s and ENE/E swell percentages climb, but rain and ENE winds often keep the surface messy. These months are worth checking when a westerly wind window coincides with a fresh pulse of easterly groundswell, but consistency is lower than the winter core.

Low Surf Season (June - August)

Summer is the doldrums at Picnic Tables. Average swell heights shrink to 1.5-2ft (0.5-0.6m) and wave periods sit in the 7.6-8.1s range, producing short-period, mostly windswell lines. The combination of E and ESE swell remains directionally favorable for the beach, but the energy is simply too small. To make matters worse, the onshore ESE/SE/SSE trade winds blow for vast stretches of time, leaving the break fat, bumpy and grovelly. Only a stray tropical storm or hurricane can inject real size into the summer months, but that usually comes with severe wind and dangerous conditions.