Conditions at Airport in January
January: The Monsoon Grind
The full force of the northwest monsoon is on display in January. Wind data shows a massive 40.8% of all observations coming from the west, with another 16.9% from WNW and 12.1% from WSW. That puts most of the wind square onto Airport's west face, leaving the ocean lumpy and rain-slicked even though there is plenty of energy underneath. Swell direction is actually excellent for the spot: SW leads at 47.4%, SSW at 35.7% and WSW at 11.3%. With an average period of 12.4s and a 5-6ft (1.7m) average wave height, there is real power in the water. The issue is simply the wind, and with only 17% ideal conditions you have to wait for a break in the monsoon flow, often during the early morning or as a passing pressure change disrupts the westerly regime.
Air temperatures hover around 25.5°C with muggy, unstable conditions and heavy precipitation, about 10mm/day, while water temperature is a bath-like 29.2°C. Tropical squalls frequently ride the westerly wind, making some sessions unsurfable. But when the wind does flick around to E/ESE, even for a few hours, the SW-heavy swell can turn Airport on almost immediately.
Average Spot conditions at Airport in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Airport 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 Airport for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Airport 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 Airport.