Top 12 of 32 surfing destinations scored for July · ERA5 reanalysis 2015-2024 · updated monthly
Margaret River, Ericeira and Nazaré drop out of the prime band after June. Of the 32 surfing destinations in the dataset, 17 score 68 or better in July and 8 reach the prime band above 80, one of the leaner months of the year.
Le Morne leads on 94 at 1.9 m @ 11 s. Across the top ten the spread is Africa (3), Oceania (2), North America (2), Asia (1), South America (1), Europe (1). The top of the table has moved south of the equator — 7 of the ten best are southern-hemisphere spots, which is the whole reason this month reads differently from six months ago.
Ranked by score out of 100. Each strip shows all twelve months, so you can see whether July is the spot's peak or its shoulder.
1. Le Morne Rivière Noire, Mauritius
94
Prime
Monthly score for Le Morne, January to December. July 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
87%days with working wind
16 knmean daily max wind
1.9 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
24.9 °Csea temperature
22.1 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
July is effectively as good as it gets at Le Morne: 94, within 3 points of its best month (June, 97). 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 24.9 °C with air at 22.1 °C — boardshorts.
Monthly score for Uluwatu, January to December. July 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
59%days with working wind
12 knmean daily max wind
1.8 mmean swell height
12 sswell period
27.9 °Csea temperature
26.2 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
July is Uluwatu's strongest month of the year for surfing, scoring 94. Swell runs 1.8 m at 12 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 27.9 °C with air at 26.2 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions.
Monthly score for Muizenberg, January to December. July 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
40%days with working wind
11 knmean daily max wind
2.4 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
14.6 °Csea temperature
13.3 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
July 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 14.6 °C with air at 13.3 °C — a 4/3 and boots. It is also the wet end of the year: 108 mm against a monthly average of 49 mm.
Monthly score for Raglan, January to December. July 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
71%days with working wind
15 knmean daily max wind
2.2 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
14.4 °Csea temperature
11.5 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
July is effectively as good as it gets at Raglan: 90, within 3 points of its best month (May, 93). Swell averages 2.2 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 14.4 °C with air at 11.5 °C — a 4/3 and boots.
Monthly score for Jeffreys Bay, January to December. July 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
62%days with working wind
14 knmean daily max wind
1.8 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
16.5 °Csea temperature
14.5 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
July is effectively as good as it gets at Jeffreys Bay: 88, within 2 points of its best month (August, 90). 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 16.5 °C with air at 14.5 °C — a 4/3 and boots.
Monthly score for Chicama, January to December. July 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
86%days with working wind
14 knmean daily max wind
1.5 mmean swell height
12 sswell period
18.7 °Csea temperature
18.6 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
July is effectively as good as it gets at Chicama: 88, within 3 points of its best month (May, 91). Swell runs 1.5 m at 12 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 18.7 °C with air at 18.6 °C — a 3/2 shorty. The season is turning over here — the months before this one score better.
Monthly score for Puerto Escondido, January to December. July 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
1%days with working wind
6 knmean daily max wind
1.3 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
31.3 °Csea temperature
26.9 °Cair temperature
Mar-Novbest run of months
Puerto Escondido works in July — 80 against a peak of 88 in May — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. 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 31.3 °C with air at 26.9 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions.
Monthly score for Santa Teresa, January to December. July 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
1%days with working wind
7 knmean daily max wind
1.3 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
29.9 °Csea temperature
25.9 °Cair temperature
Mar-Novbest run of months
Santa Teresa works in July — 80 against a peak of 86 in May — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.3 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 29.9 °C with air at 25.9 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions.
Monthly score for Bells Beach, January to December. July is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
74
79
83
79
81
73
76
72
82
75
80
74
53%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
1.3 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
13.6 °Csea temperature
10.2 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Bells Beach works in July — 76 against a peak of 83 in March — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.3 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 13.6 °C with air at 10.2 °C — a hooded winter suit. The season is turning over here — the months before this one score better.
Monthly score for Nazaré, January to December. July 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
1.5 mmean swell height
7 sswell period
18.3 °Csea temperature
19.9 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Nazaré works in July — 74 against a peak of 93 in October — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell is 1.5 m but only 7 s, which is wind chop at a surfable height rather than a groundswell. The sea sits at 18.3 °C with air at 19.9 °C — a 3/2 shorty. It is one of the drier months, at 14 mm.
Monthly score for Ericeira, January to December. July 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
65%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
1.5 mmean swell height
7 sswell period
17.9 °Csea temperature
19.5 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Ericeira works in July — 73 against a peak of 92 in October — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell is 1.5 m but only 7 s, which is wind chop at a surfable height rather than a groundswell. The sea sits at 17.9 °C with air at 19.5 °C — a 4/3 and boots. It is one of the drier months, at 10 mm.
Monthly score for Margaret River, January to December. July 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
69%days with working wind
16 knmean daily max wind
3.6 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
17.9 °Csea temperature
13.8 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Margaret River works in July — 71 against a peak of 97 in April — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell runs 3.6 m at 11 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 17.9 °C with air at 13.8 °C — a 4/3 and boots. It is also the wet end of the year: 159 mm against a monthly average of 65 mm.
Le Morne, Mauritius scores highest in July at 94/100, 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 July?
Puerto Escondido has the warmest sea among the spots that also score well in July — 31.3 °C, which is boardshorts, and shade between sessions, on a score of 80.
Is July a good month to surf?
Yes — 8 destinations in the dataset reach the prime band (80+) in July, 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.