Top 12 of 32 surfing destinations scored for April · ERA5 reanalysis 2015-2024 · updated monthly
Taghazout, Mundaka, Biarritz and 3 others drop out of the prime band after March. Of the 32 surfing destinations in the dataset, 26 score 68 or better in April and 16 reach the prime band above 80, one of the leaner months of the year.
Margaret River leads on 97 at 2.4 m @ 11 s. Across the top ten the spread is Africa (4), Europe (3), Oceania (2), Asia (1). The month is split across both hemispheres — 6 of the ten best are south of the equator — so the choice is as much about flight time as about score.
Ranked by score out of 100. Each strip shows all twelve months, so you can see whether April is the spot's peak or its shoulder.
1. Margaret River Western Australia, Australia
97
Prime
Monthly score for Margaret River, January to December. April is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
95
95
96
97
90
82
71
73
81
88
93
95
51%days with working wind
12 knmean daily max wind
2.4 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
21.0 °Csea temperature
17.4 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
April is Margaret River's strongest month of the year for surfing, scoring 97. Swell averages 2.4 m at 11 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 21.0 °C with air at 17.4 °C — a 3/2 shorty. The season is turning over here — the months before this one score better.
Monthly score for Le Morne, January to December. April is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
89
89
90
92
95
97
94
95
94
93
92
87
62%days with working wind
14 knmean daily max wind
1.9 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
28.4 °Csea temperature
26.1 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Le Morne works in April — 92 against a peak of 97 in June — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.9 m at 11 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 28.4 °C with air at 26.1 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions.
Monthly score for Raglan, January to December. April is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
84
91
92
92
93
90
90
89
92
91
90
90
54%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
1.9 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
19.1 °Csea temperature
16.4 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
April is effectively as good as it gets at Raglan: 92, within 1 point of its best month (May, 93). Swell runs 1.9 m at 11 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 19.1 °C with air at 16.4 °C — a 3/2 shorty.
Monthly score for Uluwatu, January to December. April is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
86
85
86
90
88
93
94
94
93
91
85
89
10%days with working wind
8 knmean daily max wind
1.6 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
29.6 °Csea temperature
27.7 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Uluwatu works in April — 90 against a peak of 94 in July — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell runs 1.6 m at 11 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 29.6 °C with air at 27.7 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Essaouira, January to December. April is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
93
94
90
89
78
75
70
73
83
91
94
95
66%days with working wind
15 knmean daily max wind
1.8 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
18.3 °Csea temperature
17.5 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Essaouira works in April — 89 against a peak of 95 in December — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.8 m at 10 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 18.3 °C with air at 17.5 °C — a 3/2 shorty. The season is turning over here — the months before this one score better.
Monthly score for Nazaré, January to December. April is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
84
85
81
88
81
80
74
80
87
93
86
86
58%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
2.2 mmean swell height
9 sswell period
16.3 °Csea temperature
14.9 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
April is among Nazaré's best three months for surfing (88), behind October at 93. Swell averages 2.2 m at 9 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 16.3 °C with air at 14.9 °C — a 4/3 and boots. This is the top of the curve locally: both neighbouring months score lower.
Monthly score for Ericeira, January to December. April is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
86
86
81
87
81
80
73
80
86
92
88
87
60%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
2.1 mmean swell height
9 sswell period
16.2 °Csea temperature
14.4 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
April is among Ericeira's best three months for surfing (87), behind October at 92. Swell averages 2.1 m at 9 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 16.2 °C with air at 14.4 °C — a 4/3 and boots. This is the top of the curve locally: both neighbouring months score lower.
Monthly score for Muizenberg, January to December. April is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
83
87
87
87
91
91
92
92
89
85
86
83
46%days with working wind
12 knmean daily max wind
1.7 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
16.0 °Csea temperature
17.7 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Muizenberg works in April — 87 against a peak of 92 in July — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.7 m at 10 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 16.0 °C with air at 17.7 °C — a 4/3 and boots.
Monthly score for Peniche, January to December. April is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
88
88
86
86
78
76
70
76
84
91
91
90
63%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
2.0 mmean swell height
9 sswell period
16.0 °Csea temperature
14.8 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Peniche works in April — 86 against a peak of 91 in October — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 2.0 m at 9 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 16.0 °C with air at 14.8 °C — a 4/3 and boots. The season is turning over here — the months before this one score better.
Monthly score for Jeffreys Bay, January to December. April is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
78
81
84
86
89
89
88
90
87
84
80
81
55%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
1.7 mmean swell height
9 sswell period
18.0 °Csea temperature
18.3 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Jeffreys Bay works in April — 86 against a peak of 90 in August — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.7 m at 9 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 18.0 °C with air at 18.3 °C — a 3/2 shorty.
Monthly score for Pipeline, January to December. April is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
97
96
93
86
73
64
64
64
68
90
95
98
63%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
1.6 mmean swell height
9 sswell period
25.0 °Csea temperature
23.4 °Cair temperature
Sep-Maybest run of months
Pipeline works in April — 86 against a peak of 98 in December — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.6 m at 9 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 25.0 °C with air at 23.4 °C — boardshorts. The season is turning over here — the months before this one score better.
Monthly score for Chicama, January to December. April is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
74
76
82
86
91
88
88
84
86
80
80
74
82%days with working wind
14 knmean daily max wind
1.4 mmean swell height
12 sswell period
21.8 °Csea temperature
22.5 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Chicama works in April — 86 against a peak of 91 in May — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell runs 1.4 m at 12 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 21.8 °C with air at 22.5 °C — a 3/2 shorty. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Margaret River, Australia scores highest in April at 97/100, based on ten years of ERA5 climatology scored for surfing. Its best run of months is Year-round.
Where can I surf in warm water in April?
Santa Teresa has the warmest sea among the spots that also score well in April — 30.7 °C, which is boardshorts, and shade between sessions, on a score of 77.
Is April a good month to surf?
Yes — 16 destinations in the dataset reach the prime band (80+) in April, so you have real choice rather than one option.
These scores are climatology, not a forecast. They are computed from ten years of
ERA5 reanalysis (2015-2024) and answer which month and which spot to book — not
whether this Saturday is on. For live conditions, open the
interactive map.