The Radisson • Surf Spot Statistics

Best Surf Season (December - February)

The winter months are when The Radisson truly hits its stride. As the North Atlantic storm track dips south and the NAO often shifts into a more negative phase, passing cold fronts and coastal low-pressure systems sharpen the pressure gradient along this ENE-facing stretch of shoreline. The result is a much healthier mix of NE, ENE and E groundswell arriving with average wave heights around 0.8-0.9m (2.5-3ft) and periods pushing 8.4-8.6s. Just as importantly, post-frontal high pressure often installs light to moderate SW, WSW and W winds - the offshore airflow this beach needs to clean up the lines.

Fair Surf Season (March - May and September - November)

Shoulder seasons are a game of timing. In spring, the Bermuda High begins to build and the prevailing flow becomes increasingly easterly, producing small windswell but also more onshore afternoon chop. Autumn sees the return of size, especially October and November, when tropical cyclones and early-season extratropical storms send the biggest swells of the year, often averaging 1.0m (3ft) or better. However, those same systems tend to drag NE and ENE winds directly into the beach, so quality hinges on finding rare pockets of offshore W to WNW flow in the wake of fronts.

Low Surf Season (June - August)

Summer is the doldrums for The Radisson. The Atlantic subtropical ridge anchors itself across the western North Atlantic, locking in quasi-permanent ENE and ESE trade winds. Wave heights crater to 0.5-0.6m (1.5-2ft), periods hover around 7.6-8.1s, and the vast majority of the swell is short-period, wind-driven chop coming from the onshore directions. Water temperatures climb to 27.5-28.6°C while tropical moisture and afternoon thunderstorms add 5-7mm of rain per day. Only a passing hurricane or tropical wave in August can break the monotony, and even then onshore winds often limit the quality.