Conditions at Riptides in January
January: The Northeast Monsoon Locks In
The calendar turns with the Northeast Monsoon in full control, and Riptides feels every bit of it. Average surf height sits near 3.5ft (1.1m), and the swell window is dominated by ENE, with 61.5 percent of the energy arriving from that direction and another 23.7 percent straight east. That means there is size, and a good chunk of the swell falls in the 3-5ft (1-1.5m) range, but the period is only 7.1s - squarely in the short, punchy range. The bigger issue is wind. Easterly and northeasterly winds blow for the vast majority of January, with ENE and NE combining for roughly 70 percent of all observations. That is onshore for this southeast-facing reef, and it turns the sets gutless and lumpy. Only 18 percent of the time does the wind come from the favorable W to NNW quadrant. When that happens, the strong ENE groundswell lines up nicely on the reef, but those windows are fleeting. Air temperatures average 27.2°C, water temperature is a warm 28.3°C, and with only 2.01mm of rain per day it is mostly a dry, sunny trade-wind month. Look for early-morning clean-ups and possible westerly thermal breezes, but manage expectations.
Average Spot conditions at Riptides in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Riptides 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 Riptides for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Riptides 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 Riptides.