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Conditions at Playa Matapalo in January
January: The Dry-Season Baseline
January sets the tone for the dry season with an average swell height of just 2.3ft (0.7m) at a 12.8s period. The swell is almost perfectly unidirectional: just over 96 percent of the energy comes from the SSW, with only 3.5 percent pushing into the 3-5ft (1-1.5m) range. That means long-period but undersized lines. The offshore wind machine is already humming, with WNW winds at 17.2 percent and W winds at 12.2 percent, giving 74 percent ideal conditions overall. The onshore ENE-SE quadrant is effectively silent, so the surface stays smooth and glassy. With air temperatures around 26°C and water at 28.8°C, it is a warm, clean, mellow wave-perfect for cruising on a longboard or refining your shortboard groveling. Don't expect barrels, but you won't surf badly either.
Average Spot conditions at Playa Matapalo in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Playa Matapalo 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 Matapalo for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Playa Matapalo 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 Matapalo.