| Month |
Generally this is what you will experience in San Mateo Beaches. |
| Jan |
North waves to continue pumping. Usually excellent conditions 2 or 3 days out of each week. Sometimes the swell direction shifts more westerly, and this works into the Jetty and south San Mateo beaches. |
| Feb |
North or NW waves to continue pumping. Usually excellent conditions 2 or 3 days out of each week. Rains will get heavy at times, and normally people avoid surfing during rains. Some early sign of the Spring pattern with the swell direction shifting more towards the W and picking up of winds. |
| Mar |
SPRING PATTERN:
Northern storms to start to move further south causing good west swells on some days, but also some new North storms to pop up. Look for good waves at the Jetty between now and May. |
| Apr |
Storms to move further south causing good west swells on some days. Some really fun days at the Jetty or Santa Cruz. |
| May |
Strong on-shore wind to kick in especially in the PM. North waves gets weaker and some South swells are starting to show up again. On-shore breezes to blow out waves often. But, sometimes we get perfect glassy morning days mixed in with occasional chest to head high sets. |
| June
|
SUMMER PATTERN:
Even more strong on-shore wind to come in. Strong on-shores can become a whole-day or whole-week event, and as the high pressure settles off the CA or OR coast, and the afternoon thermal condition to make the situation even worse causing 30 - 50 MPH winds. As the northern-hemi atmospheric condition to stabilize, the north waves gets nothing and nothing from the south reaches this far north causing many days of flat beaches. Even good days are very marginal. Often beaches are plagued with local wind-swells that are choppy, junky and so difficult to get out to the break zone. Overall this is the board repair month for surfers. |
| July |
The south stuff starts to come better, but swells are generally small. Fog to roll in. Sometimes the focal of local wind swells moves further north like Mendocino or Oregon coast. If this occurs, we will be in a bit of treat to catch local N swells. Good time to practice duck diving under small on-shore soups. |
| August |
More south stuff starts to come better. Fog to continue but there are some nice days. Sand to settle down a bit on sandy areas. Sign of on-shore conditions to weaken. |
| September |
FALL PATTERN:
After a long 4-6 months wait, now you are going to be in a treat!
On-shore winds to weaken. Fog starts to clear out. North to start to show up as the northern-hemi atmospheric condition to get disturbed getting ready to go to the winter pattern. Many glassy and clean swell surfing days lasting all the way to evenings. Note that there will be a first major rain either at the end or start of October. Avoid surfing for a week near the creek outlets as the "first flush" will flush down all the dirt and bacteria down the creeks. |
| October |
On-shore winds to weaken. No more fogs. North to increase while south continues. Frequent sunny days. Storms systems to start develop in more frequently in the Northern hemisphere in the Alaskan gulf. Causing W swells. Many glassy and clean swell surfing days lasting all the way to evenings. |
| November |
THE WINTER PATTERN!
No more fogs, a few rains. Things can get real stormy. North stuff to get much bigger often causing big close outs or impossible days at all beaches. But some great 2 to 3 x overhead conditions in many beaches between these monster crashers. In these winter days through March, going to Santa Cruz is much better and preferred option as the waves get really good there.
Low pressure system also travel closer to the California coast causing offshore wind conditions frequently. |
| December |
North waves to continue pumping. Usually excellent conditions 2 or 3 days out of each week. Some rainy days. Some stormy days causing monster crashers. Major storms starts to subside as we get closer to January. |