PNW Surf Overview

Combine the info below with your

PNW Surf Map

to plan your next trip or session

& score the best waves!

REGIONAL OVERVIEW

Black and white cartoon image of a surfer in a full, hooded wetsuit

Temperatures

From Tofino down to Crescent City, year-round water temperatures range from the high-40s to mid-50s. Occasionally, during the peak of summer or early fall, water temps hit the mid-60s, meaning you can get away with a 4/3 wetsuit. However, most of the year, PNW surfers are in hooded 5/4 wetsuits. In addition to the thick wetsuit, you’ll want neoprene booties and gloves to stay warm, especially during spring and winter.

Black and white cartoon of a right point break along the Pacific Northwest coast

Conditions

Most of the year, there’s too much swell and wind for unprotected, west-facing breaks. Therefore, PNW surfers usually find protected nooks and coves that are sheltered from harsh winds and/or massive swell. When the surf picks up in fall, and through winter, the fickle surf spots in the Strait of Juan de Fuca come to life. Here, you'll find mostly lefts in Washington and rights on Vancouver Island.

Black and white cartoon image of a map depicting the Pacific Northwest

Access

With such a rugged coastline, one of the greatest challenges can be accessing the region's isolated waves. This is especially true in Northwest Washington and South Vancouver Island, where much of the coast is protected by national parks or Native (First Nations, in Canada) land. Therefore, a boat, hike-in, or overnight mission (see: long drive) can be necessary when chasing waves...and a good map!

Black and white cartoon image of a great white shark jaw

Hazards

Heavy conditions (big waves with currents or rip tides), rocks, cold water, locals, and sharks. Our finned friends are generally more common in Central/Southern Oregon, and Northern California; especially during early fall. As with all endeavors: know your limits, spend time familiarizing yourself with a new spot, especially as conditions pick up, and trust your instincts.

SEASONAL OVERVIEW

Spring

Variable conditions: wind and wind swell wedges. As winter storms subside, the predominant wind direction switches from the south to north. If strong north winds are sustained for several days, upwelling can drop temps by at least 5 degrees (resulting in coldest water temps of the year: mid-40s to 50s).

Sunset with pink clouds reflecting off the ocean along a nondescript beach in Vancouver Island

Summer

Busiest time of the year in the water as inland crowds leave the mountains and instead focus on the coast – mainly to areas protected from the predominant north winds. Upwelling is still in full effect, so a hooded 5mm wetsuit is usually the call. However, with several days of sustained southerly winds, water temps can reach 60+ degrees (break out the 4/3!). Best time of year to learn, but you will rarely go more than a week without some pulse that offers chest+ high waves.

Fall

Perhaps the best season for surfing as winds usually calm down and northern hemisphere groundswells pick up. September and October can also be some of the most consistently warm months for water temps as the Northern Pacific lags the solar cycle. By November, though, it is basically winter again and predominant winds shift back to a southerly direction. Note that shark activity usually peaks in October due to seal and sea lion pupping season.

Winter

Cold, wet, and windy. Relentless storms and swell require timing sessions in-between weather systems. Ocean rarely gets above 50 degrees. Hooded wetsuit, gloves, and booties necessary. Minimal crowds, except for the popular breaks in the Strait and winter standouts.

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