- Home
- ...North America
Costa Rica- Playa Carmen
Conditions at Playa Carmen in January
January: Clean Lines and Long-Period Southern Swell
January is prime time at Playa Carmen. The average surf height sits at 3ft (1.0m), with the majority of waves falling in the 2-5ft (0.5-1.5m) range. Swell is heavily weighted toward the SSW, which accounts for over 61% of all wave energy, with another 31% arriving from the SW and just under 6% from the WSW. That puts Playa Carmen right in the sweet spot for its southwest-facing exposure. The average period of 12.8s means it is proper long-period groundswell, not just local windswell.
The wind story is even better. The dominant wind direction is NNE at 28%, with strong secondary contributions from NE at 11% and N at 7%, producing ideal offshore conditions around 57% of the time. Air temperatures hover near 28°C, water temperature is 28.4°C, and rainfall is only 0.94 mm/day, so the dry season is in full swing. Expect clean shoulder-high lines early in the morning before any afternoon sea breeze kicks in.
Average Spot conditions at Playa Carmen in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Playa Carmen 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 Playa Carmen for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Playa Carmen 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 Playa Carmen.