Winter, most often December, is the best season for clean surf at both Ditch Plains and Georgica, with a mix of groundswell and windswell and offshore wind from the northwest. Both breaks can work at any time of year, which is why the lineups never fully empty.
The other constraint is the water. NOAA's Montauk station averages 40 degrees in January and 72 in August, so wetsuit thickness changes by season. The water temperature guide has every month.
Swell and wind
Both main breaks receive a mix of groundswells and windswells. Offshore wind blows from the northwest at both, so a northwesterly day after a storm tends to clean the waves up. Ditch Plains prefers a south-southeast swell and Georgica a southwest swell, so the same swell can favor one over the other.
Wetsuits by month
These are the rule-of-thumb thicknesses surf shops use, matched to the monthly averages at Montauk.
| Months | Average water | Common choice |
|---|---|---|
| July to September | 70 to 72 degrees | Shorty or thin full suit |
| June and October | 63 to 64 degrees | Full suit |
| May and November | 54 to 55 degrees | Thick full suit, booties |
| December and April | 45 to 47 degrees | Thick suit, hood, gloves, booties |
| January to March | 38 to 42 degrees | Thickest suit with hood, gloves and booties |
Sharing the water in season
Lifeguards work 9am to 5pm at Montauk’s Town beaches. Outside those hours and outside the season, nobody is watching, so surf with a partner. The surf breaks guide lists where.
Questions
What is the best time of year to surf the Hamptons?
Winter, most often December, brings the cleanest waves at Ditch Plains and Georgica.