What is the best season for surfing on the west coast?
Autumn, September to November, is the season most west coast surfers would choose. The Atlantic swell becomes consistent again as the storm track returns, the sea is still near its warmest after the summer, the air has not yet turned winter cold, and the line ups empty once the schools go back. Winter brings the biggest swells to breaks such as Bundoran and the Clare coast, but also water around 9 degrees, short days and storm winds that can ruin a break for days. Summer is the learner's season: smaller, cleaner surf and the surf schools in Strandhill, Lahinch and Bundoran running at full stretch. Most surfers here wear a thick wetsuit all year, with boots and gloves added in winter, and Met Éireann's marine forecast is the one to check before travelling to a break.
Useful pages: The best time to visit Ireland · Irish weather, month by month · What to wear · Weather in Ireland · Experiencing the Irish coastline · Ireland's national parks · Outdoor adventures in Ireland · Travel notices · Ireland photography tips · Ireland weather guide
Sources
- Irish Surfing: west coast surf season and breaks, irishsurfing.ie
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