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Conditions at Praia dos Molhes in January
January: Summer Tradewind Slop with Occasional Windows
January is classic mid-summer at Praia dos Molhes. The South Atlantic High is firmly established, setting up a stubborn NNE-NE flow (NNE 12.8%, NE 19.0%) that blows straight into the east-southeast-facing sandbars. Average wave height sits at 4.6ft (1.4m) with an average wave period of only 8.2s - rideable and punchy, but often lumpy. Swell energy comes almost exclusively from the east quadrant, with ENE (20.6%), E (24.8%), and ESE (20.9%) making up the bulk of the spectrum. The 1-2m (3-6.5ft) range is well represented, but true groundswell over 2.5m is virtually absent. True offshore flow from WSW-W-WNW-NW only appears around 7% of the time, so even though the broader 'ideal wind' window sits near 26%, most days are compromised by tradewind chop. Water temperature is 23.5°C and air temperatures average 22.5°C with highs near 33.1°C, so it is full-on boardshorts weather. Catch the dawn patrol before the trades and seabreeze kick in, or chase the rare post-frontal west wind for clean, fun-size waves.
Average Spot conditions at Praia dos Molhes in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Praia dos Molhes during January. Based on historical data, there is a % probability of groundswell occurring this month. The chart below provides a detailed breakdown of the average wave height distribution, offering deep insights into the swell quality and surf potential you can expect at Praia dos Molhes for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Praia dos Molhes for January. Our analysis shows that favorable offshore or side-shore winds coincide with surfable swell approximately % of the time. The accompanying graph illustrates the average size distribution of waves during these optimal wind windows at Praia dos Molhes.