Punta de Lobos • Statistics for January

January: High Summer Groundswell

January finds the South Pacific subtropical high firmly in control, compressing the mid-latitude storm track toward the Pole and quieting the swell machine that drives Punta de Lobos. The wave rose says it all: a staggering 72 percent of all swell energy arrives from the WSW, with another 16 percent from the SW and 11 percent from the W. Pure N, NNO and NNW swell is a statistical ghost during the month, so this NNW-facing point must lean on refracted, long-period energy from the southwest quadrant to produce its familiar lined-up breaks.

Average surf heights hold at a useful 5ft (1.6m) and periods run a patient 12.7s, so the beach sees plenty of shoulder-to-head-high, powerful waves. Roughly half of the distribution sits in the 5-6.5ft (1.5-2m) range, with about 13 percent lifting into the 6.5-8ft (2-2.5m) class - enough to keep the lineup honest. The wind regime is dominated by the offshore S-SSW-SW sector, which together accounts for over 60 percent of observations, most commonly blowing 10-20km/h. Ideal surfing wind checks in at 61 percent, while N/NNW onshores remain scarce and light at about 12 percent. Add a mild 18.8°C (66°F) air temperature and a 13.9°C (57°F) ocean, and you have a classic high-summer recipe: clean, waist-to-head-high waves and plenty of opportunity to work on your rail game.