Itapeva • Statistics for January

January: Summer Trade-Wind Grind

The South Atlantic summer pattern is in full swing, and Itapeva is stuck in the NE trade-wind machine. Average swell height is 1.4m (4.5ft) with a mean period of only 8.2s, meaning most energy is short-period windswell rather than powerful groundswell. The dominant swell directions are excellent on paper - E at 24.8 percent, ESE at 20.9 percent, ENE at 20.6 percent, SE at 14.3 percent and SSE at 10.1 percent - but the quality is dragged down by the wind. NE winds blow 25.4 percent of the time, with NNE at 15.3 percent and ENE at 14.2 percent. The onshore E, ESE, SE and SSE directions are also present at around 19 percent, and the ideal offshore W/WNW/NW/NNW flow is scarce. That said, the wind is still ideal for surfing around 22 percent of the time, usually in the early morning before the sea breeze kicks in. Water temperature is 23.5°C, air temperature averages 22.5°C, and the surf is best when a weak cold front slips through and momentarily flips the wind offshore.