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As the trade wind zone shifts a few degrees northwards and then southwards again over the course of the year, the peripheral areas (root zones of the trade wind) are left empty-handed when it comes to a year-round gliding wind certificate. Only the spots in the inner trade wind zone and a few exceptional areas that benefit from very special favourable factors receive this premium seal: core trade wind spot. There you can rely on the tropical gliding wind from the east all year round or for at least nine months.
These destinations, which you can confidently book well in advance without having to look at the weather forecast, include the best places to spend the winter or summer:
Ceará coast in north-east Brazil
When you think of northern Brazil, you think of dense jungles, oppressive heat and tropical downpours - as is typical for a region close to the equator. But there is a small coastal strip in the north-east of the country, in the state of Ceará, which is completely out of the ordinary: Dunes with a few, hand-picked palm and sandy beaches as far as the eye can see. There is also a brisk wind and a long dry season with plenty of sunshine.
With the discovery of Jericoacoara, a new star rose in the surfing sky.
In Brazil, the equatorial low-pressure zone with its weak winds and tendency to rain lies far inland from the north coast for most of the year. The suction emanating from it taps into the trade wind current of the North Atlantic and is strong enough to bring it far south to the beaches of Ceará. There, the north-easterly wind encounters an almost west-east orientated, partly mountainous coastline, which brings the trade wind to an oblique sideshore and east-north-east direction - and at the same time accelerates it (guard rail effect). Onshore thermal breezes (brisa do mar) then give the trade wind on the coast a real extra kick during the day.
The recommended season for windsurfers lasts around nine months, from June to February. This is when the trade wind is not only the most reliable, with 84 to 91 per cent consistency. It also blows the strongest at this time of year, with an average of 21 days of gliding wind per month in June and February and otherwise 25 to 31 days per month. In contrast to the southern Caribbean or the Cape Verde Islands, the wind shifts in the evening and at night - and then drops significantly: an effect of the pronounced thermal land breeze (terral) there.
This means that the trade winds are weaker for three months of the year, and during this period from the end of February to the end of May you can expect torrential rainfall.
The special wind favour of the Ceará coast has attracted energy companies. Entire wind farms bear witness to the consistency and strength of the trade winds.
Jericoacoara is a favourite spot among windsurfers. Its beaches offer a gliding wind frequency of 78 to 100 per cent during the nine-month surfing season. Depending on the month, air temperatures range from 22 to 25 (in the morning) and 29 to 31 degrees (in the afternoon). And water temperatures that never fall below 27 degrees. And sunshine until you drop. A dream!
Cape Verde
The archipelago of the Cape Verde Islands off tropical West Africa is the classic passage area. Even Columbus heard about the advantages of the Cape Verde winds and chose the southern route via the Cape Verde Islands for his journey from Seville to Trinidad in the Caribbean. Even today, transatlantic sailors still favour the southern route instead of the shorter great circle route. The most important recommendation on the largest Atlantic regatta, the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC), which runs from Las Palmas to St Lucia in the Caribbean in early winter, is to sail south: Be sure to keep south first until you hit the core trade winds at Cape Verde, only then point the bow towards the Caribbean.
It is said that the trade winds hibernate in Cape Verde. But there is no sign of hibernation, especially in the winter months the archipelago shines as a wind pearl. But Cape Verde is also recommended in the summer months. Apart from August and September, when the tropical low-pressure zone occasionally approaches the archipelago from the south, causing occasional thunderstorms and wind breaks, the trade wind blows most of the year with a consistency of 90 per cent and more - and with a typical force of four to five Beaufort. A wind climate that is almost unrivalled worldwide in terms of reliability!
Columbus already knew about the good winds of Cape Verde.
The island of Sal is a favourite Cape Verde spot, and not without reason:
- Sal is one of the sunniest spots on Cape Verde. One reason for this is the flatness of the island: there are no mountains where clouds could accumulate and the clouds pass quickly with the brisk wind. Secondly, it is relatively rare for the foothills of the equatorial thunderstorm zone to reach Sal from the south. On average, you only have to expect rain on eight days a year on this island.
- Sal is located in the north-east of the archipelago. This location guarantees a constant flow of air without wind shadow effects, as there are no other islands upwind.
- Thanks to the flatness of the island and its lack of vegetation, the wind is hardly slowed down at all, and the stronger thermals over the sandy areas even allow it to link up with the (always stronger) high-altitude wind. Thanks to atmospheric exchange processes, the tapped high-altitude wind is able to reach the ground in bays such as Santa Maria, especially in the midday and afternoon hours. This results in a good surfing wind even in leeward locations, and the gustiness of the trade wind is limited due to the low ground roughness.
Southern Caribbean
The Caribbean is actually part of the trade wind zone - in other words, where it weakens from time to time and localised showers and thunderstorms are always to be expected. However, this only applies to the central and particularly northern part of the region. In the south of the Caribbean, the trade wind is at its best when it comes to sun and wind. Here the surfer encounters a wind quality that is otherwise only known from the Cape Verde Islands. Here, even the trees bend to the will of the trade wind.
The passive favour zone of the southern Caribbean starts at Barbados, with an average crosswind frequency of between 85 percent (October) and 95 percent (June) and average winds of between 11 knots (October) and 15 knots (June). Unfortunately, there are always showers here, especially from June to December.
Windsurfers will find truly fantastic conditions on the islands off the Venezuelan coast. From Tobago in the east to Aruba in the far west, the trade wind not only winters, it also experiences its second spring here! The easterly wind blows all year round with an average gliding wind frequency of between 85 and 95 per cent, and is particularly reliable from February to July with more than 90 per cent consistency throughout. Very windy months are February and March with an average of 17 to 18 knots. Very sporadic showers or thunderstorms - far less frequent than in Barbados - are most likely from June to November. If surfers notice them at all, because in contrast to the mainland or the larger Caribbean islands, the classic trade wind showers coming from the sea tend to favour the night hours anyway.
What makes these islands premium spots for surfers? It's the strong thermals over the South American mainland. The gigantic thermal vents there in the form of high-reaching thunderstorm towers need fresh air to replace the air masses swirling up in the cloud towers. They get it from the surroundings. They suck in air from all sides in the lower air layers. This is noticeable on the Caribbean side of the mainland in a strengthening of the trade winds blowing there, with the guard rail of the coastal cordillera giving the boisterous trade winds an extra kick!
El Yaque on Isla Margarita was one of the most popular windsurfing spots, with 320 days of gliding wind per year. With cosy, warm air that is always between 27 and 32 degrees during the day - and never drops below 23 degrees even on a winter's night thanks to the constant air movement. Unfortunately, due to the current political situation in Venezuela, this dream spot is absolutely not recommended for foreigners.
Mauritius
Anyone who thinks of "Beyond Africa" remembers the classic film about dashed hopes. This destination beyond Africa is a completely different story. Admittedly, it's not a short-haul flight. But this island is worth the journey and fulfils the expectations of spoilt windsurfers. Situated in the South Indian Ocean, Mauritius offers surf spots in an exotic warm-air area, embedded in a trade wind climate par excellence.
The sea area lies in the centre of the southeast trade winds. On Mauritius, we find ourselves in the clean air climate of the South Indian Ocean. The air that blows over the beaches there has travelled almost 4000 kilometres by sea. It is therefore extraordinarily clear and the trade winds here are very constant.
The surf god went to great lengths to create Mauritius.
During the summer months in South Asia, there is constant low pressure over India. The depression creates a huge undertow that pulls the entire North Indian Ocean under its barometric spell: The summer monsoon blows there from the south-west. The accelerated removal of air masses towards South Asia means that the thinned-out atmosphere needs immediate replenishment. It gets the missing air masses from the South Indian Ocean by sucking in the trade winds there more strongly than can be observed anywhere else in the world. The result is a particularly strong and constant south-easterly trade wind over the South Indian Ocean.
This is why the trade winds are at their best in Mauritius from May to September. During the rest of the year, the trade winds are also a loyal companion on the beaches of this tropical island. Even in the summer months, from October to April, there is a constant trade wind pressure gradient in this sea area. As a moderate breeze that rises above the gliding wind threshold, especially in the midday and afternoon hours, the trade wind provides sufficient surfing pleasure under the protection of the reefs.
Here, as everywhere else in the world, the particularly popular surf spots are not just randomly distributed. They utilise local amplification effects that give the trade winds an adrenaline rush. In the case of Mauritius, this is the south-west corner of the island. At the foot of the mountains of Le Morne, certain beach sections of the Brabant Peninsula benefit from a perfect crash barrier effect. The section of beach next to the speed piste is in the lee of the mountains. This offers the surfing community a rare variety of wind and wave conditions. From calm beginners' areas to strong winds with metre-high waves - you'll find everything in close proximity!
The wind and weather profile of the Le Mourne spot:
- The wind blows predominantly from the east to south-east. During the day in the less windy season (October to April), it reaches an average of force three to four with gusts of five, and in the Mauritian winter months (May to September), force four to five with gusts of six.
- In all months of the year, the wind resistance is 80 per cent or more.
- The air temperatures there are subtropical in winter with 17 degrees in the morning and 24 degrees in the afternoon, and tropical in summer with 22 and 29 degrees respectively. In the cooler winter months, a thin jumper is recommended after sunset. The water is 23 degrees in winter and up to 28 degrees in summer.
- We can expect short rain showers, but they are only heavy from December to April. On the other hand, showers often avoid us, especially on the coast, because they typically favour the night and morning hours - and are also quickly carried away by the wind. Tropical cyclones are of a completely different calibre. You can expect them from February to April. They particularly affect the sea area in the west and north of the island, but sometimes also batter Mauritius with deluges and winds up to hurricane force. On such days, the trade wind circulation is completely interrupted and a wind-stable and rainproof surf bar is the first-choice shelter.
The core Passat - absolutely reliable
The wind statistics for the southern Caribbean paint a clear picture: the trade winds can blow here all year round without any disruptive influences. The dreaded hurricanes are more prevalent further north. The wind speeds are not necessarily a treat for absolute strong wind freaks, but just right for relaxed pleasure surfing in fantastic temperatures.
All parts of the wind special:
- The west wind
- The east wind on the Baltic Sea
- Ora and Vento on Lake Garda
- The foehn in the Alps
- The Meltemi in Greece
- The bora in Croatia
- The sirocco in the central Mediterranean
- The mistral in the south of France
- The Tramontana in the northern Mediterranean
- The Levante in southern Spain
- The trade wind zone
- The roots of the trade winds
- Core trade wind - In the centre of the trade wind
- Passat run-off zone - The end of the Passat
- Interview: Climate researcher Dr Michael Sachweh - "Chasing storms is my passion"
- Windfinder: How wind forecasts are created, the difference between forecast and super-forecast
