Top 12 of 32 surfing destinations scored for August · ERA5 reanalysis 2015-2024 · updated monthly
Ericeira and Nazaré come into the prime band in August after missing it in July. Of the 32 surfing destinations in the dataset, 20 score 68 or better in August and 10 reach the prime band above 80, one of the leaner months of the year.
Le Morne leads on 95 at 2.0 m @ 11 s. Across the top ten the spread is Africa (3), North America (2), Europe (2), Asia (1), Oceania (1), South America (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 August is the spot's peak or its shoulder.
1. Le Morne Rivière Noire, Mauritius
95
Prime
Monthly score for Le Morne, January to December. August 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
82%days with working wind
15 knmean daily max wind
2.0 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
24.4 °Csea temperature
22.2 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
August is effectively as good as it gets at Le Morne: 95, within 2 points of its best month (June, 97). Swell runs 2.0 m at 11 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 24.4 °C with air at 22.2 °C — boardshorts.
Monthly score for Uluwatu, January to December. August 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
47%days with working wind
12 knmean daily max wind
1.9 mmean swell height
12 sswell period
27.8 °Csea temperature
25.9 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
August is Uluwatu's strongest month of the year for surfing, scoring 94. Swell runs 1.9 m at 12 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 27.8 °C with air at 25.9 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions.
Monthly score for Muizenberg, January to December. August 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
43%days with working wind
12 knmean daily max wind
2.4 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
14.5 °Csea temperature
13.4 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
August is Muizenberg's strongest month of the year for surfing, scoring 92. 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 14.5 °C with air at 13.4 °C — a 4/3 and boots.
Monthly score for Jeffreys Bay, January to December. August 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
60%days with working wind
14 knmean daily max wind
2.0 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
16.9 °Csea temperature
14.6 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
August is Jeffreys Bay's strongest month of the year for surfing, scoring 90. Swell averages 2.0 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 16.9 °C with air at 14.6 °C — a 4/3 and boots.
Monthly score for Raglan, January to December. August 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
61%days with working wind
14 knmean daily max wind
2.0 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
13.7 °Csea temperature
11.6 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Raglan works in August — 89 against a peak of 93 in May — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 2.0 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 13.7 °C with air at 11.6 °C — a hooded winter suit.
Monthly score for Chicama, January to December. August 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
89%days with working wind
14 knmean daily max wind
1.4 mmean swell height
12 sswell period
18.0 °Csea temperature
18.1 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Chicama works in August — 84 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 18.0 °C with air at 18.1 °C — a 3/2 shorty.
Monthly score for Puerto Escondido, January to December. August is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
57
65
73
78
88
83
80
83
86
80
78
57
0%days with working wind
6 knmean daily max wind
1.4 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
31.3 °Csea temperature
26.8 °Cair temperature
Mar-Novbest run of months
August is among Puerto Escondido's best three months for surfing (83), behind May at 88. Swell runs 1.4 m at 11 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 31.3 °C with air at 26.8 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions. It is also the wet end of the year: 225 mm against a monthly average of 102 mm.
Monthly score for Santa Teresa, January to December. August is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
64
63
71
77
86
80
80
81
83
81
78
64
2%days with working wind
7 knmean daily max wind
1.3 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
29.8 °Csea temperature
25.8 °Cair temperature
Mar-Novbest run of months
August is among Santa Teresa's best three months for surfing (81), behind May at 86. Swell runs 1.3 m at 11 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 29.8 °C with air at 25.8 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions. It is also the wet end of the year: 476 mm against a monthly average of 284 mm.
Monthly score for Ericeira, January to December. August 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
67%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
1.6 mmean swell height
8 sswell period
17.5 °Csea temperature
19.8 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Ericeira works in August — 80 against a peak of 92 in October — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.6 m at 8 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 17.5 °C with air at 19.8 °C — a 4/3 and boots. It is one of the drier months, at 6 mm. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Nazaré, January to December. August 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
1.6 mmean swell height
8 sswell period
17.9 °Csea temperature
20.1 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Nazaré works in August — 80 against a peak of 93 in October — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.6 m at 8 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 17.9 °C with air at 20.1 °C — a 4/3 and boots. It is one of the drier months, at 8 mm. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Hossegor, January to December. August is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
89
88
90
85
75
69
70
78
86
91
90
92
13%days with working wind
10 knmean daily max wind
1.4 mmean swell height
8 sswell period
23.6 °Csea temperature
21.7 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Hossegor works in August — 78 against a peak of 92 in December — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.4 m at 8 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 23.6 °C with air at 21.7 °C — boardshorts. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Peniche, January to December. August 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
67%days with working wind
14 knmean daily max wind
1.5 mmean swell height
8 sswell period
17.1 °Csea temperature
20.0 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Peniche works in August — 76 against a peak of 91 in October — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell is 1.5 m but only 8 s, which is wind chop at a surfable height rather than a groundswell. The sea sits at 17.1 °C with air at 20.0 °C — a 4/3 and boots. It is one of the drier months, at 6 mm. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Le Morne, Mauritius scores highest in August at 95/100, 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 August?
Puerto Escondido has the warmest sea among the spots that also score well in August — 31.3 °C, which is boardshorts, and shade between sessions, on a score of 83.
Is August a good month to surf?
Yes — 10 destinations in the dataset reach the prime band (80+) in August, 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.