North Point • Statistics for January

January: Summer Baseline with Clean Lines but Fickle Energy

January is locked into the summer pattern at North Point. The average swell hangs around 6ft (1.9m) with an average period of 11.8 seconds - a workable, punchy groundswell, but not the consistent heavy water this coast can see in winter. The swell rose is dominated almost entirely by the SSW/SW quadrant, which together accounts for over 70% of the energy, with only small contributions from the more favorable WSW and W directions. Waves in the 5-8ft (1.5-2.5m) range are common, so when a solid S/SW groundswell fills in, the west-facing banks do light up.

The wind is the weak link. Ideal offshore flow occurs just 13% of the time, while SSE and S winds dominate the wind rose at 23% and 20% respectively. These south and south-southeast winds can produce workable sideshore-offshore texture, but many days end up with cross-shore or onshore SW/WSW seabreezes chopping the surface. With air temperatures averaging 20.2°C, highs occasionally pushing past 35°C, and water temperature at 20.6°C, January delivers classic Australian summer surf: mostly small, occasionally fun, and never far from a fickle spell.