Top 12 of 32 surfing destinations scored for October · ERA5 reanalysis 2015-2024 · updated monthly
October opens the season at Pipeline, Carcavelos, Biarritz and 3 others and closes it at Bells Beach. Of the 32 surfing destinations in the dataset, 27 score 68 or better in October and 22 reach the prime band above 80, making it the strongest month of the year for surfing.
Le Morne leads on 93 at 1.8 m @ 11 s. Across the top ten the spread is Europe (5), Africa (2), Asia (1), Oceania (1), North America (1). The month is split across both hemispheres — 3 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 October is the spot's peak or its shoulder.
1. Le Morne Rivière Noire, Mauritius
93
Prime
Monthly score for Le Morne, January to December. October 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
66%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
1.8 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
25.1 °Csea temperature
23.9 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Le Morne works in October — 93 against a peak of 97 in June — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.8 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 25.1 °C with air at 23.9 °C — boardshorts.
Monthly score for Nazaré, January to December. October 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
48%days with working wind
12 knmean daily max wind
2.4 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
18.5 °Csea temperature
18.1 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
October is Nazaré's strongest month of the year for surfing, scoring 93. Swell averages 2.4 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 18.5 °C with air at 18.1 °C — a 3/2 shorty. It is also the wet end of the year: 101 mm against a monthly average of 63 mm. This is the top of the curve locally: both neighbouring months score lower.
Monthly score for Ericeira, January to December. October 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
53%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
2.3 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
18.6 °Csea temperature
17.9 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
October is Ericeira's strongest month of the year for surfing, scoring 92. Swell averages 2.3 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 18.6 °C with air at 17.9 °C — a 3/2 shorty. This is the top of the curve locally: both neighbouring months score lower.
Monthly score for Peniche, January to December. October 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
55%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
2.2 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
18.3 °Csea temperature
18.0 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
October is Peniche's strongest month of the year for surfing, scoring 91. Swell averages 2.2 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 18.0 °C — a 3/2 shorty. It is also the wet end of the year: 88 mm against a monthly average of 54 mm. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Essaouira, January to December. October 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
52%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
1.8 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
19.7 °Csea temperature
20.7 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Essaouira works in October — 91 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 19.7 °C with air at 20.7 °C — a 3/2 shorty. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Hossegor, January to December. October 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
25%days with working wind
10 knmean daily max wind
1.9 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
19.9 °Csea temperature
16.5 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
October is effectively as good as it gets at Hossegor: 91, within 1 point of its best month (December, 92). Swell averages 1.9 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 19.9 °C with air at 16.5 °C — a 3/2 shorty. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Uluwatu, January to December. October 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
7%days with working wind
9 knmean daily max wind
1.8 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
29.3 °Csea temperature
27.1 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
October is effectively as good as it gets at Uluwatu: 91, within 3 points of its best month (July, 94). Swell runs 1.8 m at 11 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 29.3 °C with air at 27.1 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions. The season is turning over here — the months before this one score better.
Monthly score for Raglan, January to December. October 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
73%days with working wind
15 knmean daily max wind
2.1 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
15.9 °Csea temperature
14.3 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
October is effectively as good as it gets at Raglan: 91, within 2 points of its best month (May, 93). Swell averages 2.1 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 15.9 °C with air at 14.3 °C — a 4/3 and boots.
Monthly score for Pipeline, January to December. October 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
42%days with working wind
11 knmean daily max wind
1.6 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
27.2 °Csea temperature
25.5 °Cair temperature
Sep-Maybest run of months
Pipeline works in October — 90 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 10 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 27.2 °C with air at 25.5 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Mundaka, January to December. October is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
90
91
89
77
68
68
66
76
83
89
93
91
28%days with working wind
10 knmean daily max wind
1.7 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
19.6 °Csea temperature
16.8 °Cair temperature
Aug-Junbest run of months
Mundaka works in October — 89 against a peak of 93 in November — 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 19.6 °C with air at 16.8 °C — a 3/2 shorty. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Margaret River, January to December. October 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
58%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
2.8 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
18.6 °Csea temperature
14.9 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Margaret River works in October — 88 against a peak of 97 in April — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 2.8 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 18.6 °C with air at 14.9 °C — a 3/2 shorty. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Tofino, January to December. October is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
86
86
84
81
77
73
62
64
80
87
87
82
27%days with working wind
9 knmean daily max wind
2.1 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
12.2 °Csea temperature
10.9 °Cair temperature
Sep-Junbest run of months
October is Tofino's strongest month of the year for surfing, scoring 87. Swell averages 2.1 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 12.2 °C with air at 10.9 °C — a hooded winter suit. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Le Morne, Mauritius scores highest in October at 93/100, 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 October?
Puerto Escondido has the warmest sea among the spots that also score well in October — 30.4 °C, which is boardshorts, and shade between sessions, on a score of 80.
Is October a good month to surf?
Yes — 22 destinations in the dataset reach the prime band (80+) in October, 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.