Four Seasons
SUMMER
Typically, the surf in June, July and August is very small or flat, unless a tropical storm or hurricane comes through. There are many days when you can catch pathetic ankle- to waist-high slop on a longboard at any beachbreak, and the jetties may have a small, bouncy, back-washy peak to hop around on; however, in most respects, this is the season of misery for surfers, better known as "100 days of hell."

Florida is considered sub-tropical, and that means hot and humid. In summer, expect 100 percent humidity and average daily temperatures in the 90s. The white, powdery sand is so reflective that it inflicts some of the most severe sunburns anywhere, and the Gulf is like bath water, staying in the mid-80s. Relief only comes when an occasional afternoon thunderstorm blows in to cool things off. These violently powerful lightning storms are spectacular. Large, boiling, black clouds roll through as cooling winds clock around from the north. Afterward, the air is filled with steam rising off the roads.

Every year, during the first week of June, the aptly named June grass appears. There are also large quantities of sargassum weed filled with sea nettles. These invisible devil nettles are much like underwater no-see-ums, and make your body itch all over -- not to mention, they cling to your leash. The hated jellies show up in July and August and hang out through September, and the grass, weeds and jellyfish finally wash ashore and rot on the beach by October.

FALL
While it's true that the tropical season starts in early summer, the real storm action normally hits September through November. There's nothing like a Gulf Coast hurricane swell. Prevailing winds in October are from the north, and if a tropical groundswell hits the Panhandle as an offshore is blowing, the results are spectacular. It will be big and hollow almost everywhere. The beachbreaks are great -- as long as you can make it to the outside sandbar. Next to the piers, it's even better, and the jetty and point spots are awesome. Plus, the water is still warm enough to require a springsuit at most, and you can wear shorts on most sunny days.

Sadly, hurricanes are a double-edged sword: they bring the best waves, but have a drastic effect on the quality of the sandbars. A classic example is the demise of the Destin Pass. In the '60s and '70s, this place was legendary for producing a perfect 200-yard wave. Following a hurricane in the late '70s, sand filled the mouth of the pass and the place never broke again. For Panhandle surfers, it was like losing Malibu.

WINTER
People don't think it gets cold on the Gulf, but it does -- especially along the Panhandle, where air temps drop below zero quite often, and it snows for about an hour every five years. Still, water temperatures hover around 58 degrees for the whole coast, requiring a 3/2 fullsuit and booties -- sometimes even a hood, once air temps dip into the 40s.

Not surprisingly, winter produces the most consistent surf on the Gulf Coast. Cold fronts begin sending waves around the first of November and continue through February. Normally, you can count on some kind of surf with almost every cold front, which is about two to three days a week. The cold fronts on the Panhandle slice along the coast, perpendicular to the beach. The heavy east and southeast winds preceding the fronts build the surf up to around 4 feet, and occasionally as big as 6 or 8 feet. Further south, the north swells push into the Indian Rocks and Venice Beach breaks, giving those areas their only chance at surf, aside from tropical systems, which rarely take the slow and close track required to light up the coast.

The El Nino/La Nina factor should be noted here, too. These weather phenomena affect the Gulf as much as anywhere. El Nino winters are unforgettable, with consistently large swells all winter long. Conversely, La Nina brings mild winters with many dry fronts that produce less surf.


SPRING
Spring brings the last of the winter storms, with milder conditions and some of the best waves of the year. The last fronts usually peter out by April, but the water becomes warmer -- just make sure you have a springsuit. These last cold fronts move slower, promising more days with waves and, occasionally, calmer winds. The only problem with spring is that it signals the onset of summer and the ensuing battle with flat spells.