Conditions at Thorli in January
January: The Midwinter Roar
January sits deep inside the Icelandic storm track. Average swell height reaches 11-12ft (3.5m) with an average period of 11.6 seconds, placing it squarely in the powerful, long-period class. The problem is that winds are locked into the northeast/east quadrant: NNE and NE combine for almost 24 percent of all observations, and when you add ENE/E/ESE/SE, a strong majority of the month is onshore for Thorli's east-facing orientation. Only 14 percent of the time sees ideal offshore flow from the west/southwest. Swell directions are dominated by SW (6.6%), SSW (4.9%) and S (4.1%), with the favorable NE-ENE-E-ESE-SE window contributing just 5.5 percent of the wave rose. Still, those eastern pulses arrive in the 1.5-2.5m range, often with enough brute force to make this a firing, heavy spot when the wind cooperates. Air temperatures average -1.2°C, water temps sit at 5.5°C, and 5.85 mm/day of precipitation keeps the landscape icy and the surfaces wet. Surfing in January is a battle, but the reward is some of the most powerful, charging waves Iceland can offer.
Average Spot conditions at Thorli in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Thorli 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 Thorli for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Thorli 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 Thorli.