Conditions at Hanstholm in January
January: Winter's Core: Size, but Sloppy
January is Hanstolm at its heaviest and most winter-maxed. Average swell height runs around 6-7ft (1.8-2.1m) at 2.0m, and the average period sits at 7.3s, meaning most days are a mix of short-period North Sea windswell and junky secondary swell. The swell rose is dominated by W, WSW and WNW directions, with only about 8% of the waves arriving from the ideal N through NNW window. Those N/NNW/NW swells, when they occur, are the ones that really wrap into the beach with power, but they often arrive hand-in-hand with the onshore winds that ruin them. The wind distribution shows a strong WSW/W/WNW component, and the ideal offshore flow from S through SSE is only present 8% of the time. When a high-pressure ridge moves in from the southwest and cleans things up, the beach can hold fun, head-high-plus semi-rippable waves, but you have to be ready to move fast. Water temperature is 4.5°C and air temperature averages 2.4°C, so a quality 5/4mm hooded suit, boots and gloves are non-negotiable.
Average Spot conditions at Hanstholm in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Hanstholm 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 Hanstholm for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Hanstholm 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 Hanstholm.