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Conditions at Manuel Antonio in January
January: Dry-Season Clean Lines
January represents the heart of the dry season, and the wave climate reflects that. The average swell height is a modest 3.3ft (1.0m), but the average period is a solid 12.4s, so the swell that does arrive has long-period push. SSW accounts for 69.8% of the total swell, with 44.4% in the 2-3ft (0.5-1m) range and 25.0% in the 3-5ft (1-1.5m) range; SW adds another 27.6%, and virtually all the energy comes from the optimal window for this SSW-facing beach. Onshore S/SW wind dominates the surface at a combined 53.6%, but the vast majority of readings are light, under 10kph, and 26% of the time the wind is ideal for surfing. With air temperatures around 26.1°C, water at 28.4°C, and just 1.34mm/day of rain, January delivers clean, rippable waves-smaller than the rainy season, but with far more manageable conditions.
Average Spot conditions at Manuel Antonio in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Manuel Antonio 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 Manuel Antonio for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Manuel Antonio 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 Manuel Antonio.