Long Beach • Statistics for January

January: The Midwinter Grind

January at Long Beach is the heart of the North Pacific storm season. Average swell height runs a hefty 8.5ft (2.6m), and the 12.5s average wave period means most of that energy is genuine, long-period groundswell rather than windswell. The wave rose tells the story: WSW (17.8%), W (16.8%) and SW (10.6%) are the dominant directions, with a scattering of SSW and WNW, so the west-facing beach is nearly always in the game. Perhaps more importantly, offshore winds from NE, ENE, E and ESE combine for over 46% of the wind distribution, helping the ideal wind score reach 40%, the best of the year. These easterly outflow winds often blow in behind cold fronts as high pressure builds over British Columbia, cleaning up an otherwise heavy mid-winter ocean. Expect air temperatures around 5.1°C, water temps of 7.5°C and frequent rain - around 10mm per day - but the payoff is powerful, well-ordered swell thumping into Long Beach under occasional post-frontal clarity. This is serious winter surf; bring every millimeter of rubber you own.