Morro dos Conventos • Statistics for January

January: Summer Trade-Swell Grind

January is locked into the South Atlantic summer pattern. The average swell height sits at around 4ft (1.3m) with a short, punchy 8.4s interval, and the wave rose is dominated by E and ESE windswell - 26.4% and 24.9% of the distribution, respectively. This is classic tradewind surf: rippable and fun in the 1-1.5m range, but without the raw power of long-period groundswell. The true S/SSW component, which this southeast-facing beach really lights up on, is almost nonexistent (0.2% SSW).

Wind is the limiting factor. NE and ENE breezes combine for roughly 44% of the wind distribution, and while they are largely cross-shore rather than fully onshore, they add texture to an already average-period wave field. The bright side is the 20% of time when W/NW offshore flow lines up after the passage of a summer cold front. Air temperatures hover near 24.2°C, water temp is a warm 22.7°C, and with 5.1mm/day of rain, summer storms can occasionally ruin a session. Bring a shortboard and chase the early morning offshore windows.