Top 12 of 32 surfing destinations scored for September · ERA5 reanalysis 2015-2024 · updated monthly
Hossegor, Peniche, Essaouira and 4 others come into the prime band in September after missing it in August. Of the 32 surfing destinations in the dataset, 26 score 68 or better in September and 17 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), Europe (3), Asia (1), Oceania (1), North America (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 September is the spot's peak or its shoulder.
1. Le Morne Rivière Noire, Mauritius
94
Prime
Monthly score for Le Morne, January to December. September 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
15 knmean daily max wind
1.9 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
24.4 °Csea temperature
22.7 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
September 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 24.4 °C with air at 22.7 °C — boardshorts. It is one of the drier months, at 23 mm.
Monthly score for Uluwatu, January to December. September 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
19%days with working wind
10 knmean daily max wind
1.8 mmean swell height
12 sswell period
28.4 °Csea temperature
26.4 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
September is effectively as good as it gets at Uluwatu: 93, within 1 point of its best month (July, 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 28.4 °C with air at 26.4 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions.
Monthly score for Raglan, January to December. September 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
78%days with working wind
16 knmean daily max wind
2.3 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
14.4 °Csea temperature
12.9 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
September is effectively as good as it gets at Raglan: 92, within 1 point of its best month (May, 93). Swell averages 2.3 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 14.4 °C with air at 12.9 °C — a 4/3 and boots.
Monthly score for Muizenberg, January to December. September 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
50%days with working wind
12 knmean daily max wind
2.0 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
15.0 °Csea temperature
14.5 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
September is effectively as good as it gets at Muizenberg: 89, within 3 points of its best month (July, 92). 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 15.0 °C with air at 14.5 °C — a 4/3 and boots. The season is turning over here — the months before this one score better.
Monthly score for Nazaré, January to December. September 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
45%days with working wind
12 knmean daily max wind
1.9 mmean swell height
9 sswell period
17.6 °Csea temperature
19.5 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
September is among Nazaré's best three months for surfing (87), behind October at 93. Swell averages 1.9 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 17.6 °C with air at 19.5 °C — a 4/3 and boots. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Jeffreys Bay, January to December. September 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
69%days with working wind
15 knmean daily max wind
1.8 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
17.7 °Csea temperature
15.5 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
September is effectively as good as it gets at Jeffreys Bay: 87, within 3 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 17.7 °C with air at 15.5 °C — a 4/3 and boots.
Monthly score for Ericeira, January to December. September 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
49%days with working wind
12 knmean daily max wind
1.9 mmean swell height
9 sswell period
17.4 °Csea temperature
19.3 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Ericeira works in September — 86 against a peak of 92 in October — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.9 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 17.4 °C with air at 19.3 °C — a 4/3 and boots. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Hossegor, January to December. September 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
17%days with working wind
9 knmean daily max wind
1.6 mmean swell height
9 sswell period
22.2 °Csea temperature
19.5 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Hossegor works in September — 86 against a peak of 92 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 22.2 °C with air at 19.5 °C — boardshorts. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Puerto Escondido, January to December. September 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
1.5 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
30.9 °Csea temperature
26.2 °Cair temperature
Mar-Novbest run of months
September is effectively as good as it gets at Puerto Escondido: 86, within 2 points of its best month (May, 88). Swell runs 1.5 m at 11 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 30.9 °C with air at 26.2 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions. It is also the wet end of the year: 262 mm against a monthly average of 102 mm. The season is turning over here — the months before this one score better.
Monthly score for Chicama, January to December. September 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
88%days with working wind
14 knmean daily max wind
1.5 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
17.4 °Csea temperature
18.1 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Chicama works in September — 86 against a peak of 91 in May — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.5 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 17.4 °C with air at 18.1 °C — a 4/3 and boots. The season is turning over here — the months before this one score better.
Monthly score for Peniche, January to December. September 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
53%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
1.7 mmean swell height
9 sswell period
17.1 °Csea temperature
19.4 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Peniche works in September — 84 against a peak of 91 in October — 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 17.1 °C with air at 19.4 °C — a 4/3 and boots. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Essaouira, January to December. September 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
71%days with working wind
15 knmean daily max wind
1.5 mmean swell height
9 sswell period
19.1 °Csea temperature
21.6 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Essaouira works in September — 83 against a peak of 95 in December — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.5 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 19.1 °C with air at 21.6 °C — a 3/2 shorty. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Le Morne, Mauritius scores highest in September 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 September?
Puerto Escondido has the warmest sea among the spots that also score well in September — 30.9 °C, which is boardshorts, and shade between sessions, on a score of 86.
Is September a good month to surf?
Yes — 17 destinations in the dataset reach the prime band (80+) in September, 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.