Conditions at Raglan in January
January: Mid-Summer South-Swell Reliability
January is classic Kiwi summer surfing. The dominant swell is a long-period SW/WSW push from the Tasman and Southern Ocean, with WSW (41.6%) and SW (28.6%) combining for around 70% of all wave energy. Average heights sit at 1.7m (5.6ft) with an average period of 11.7s, so you're dealing with genuine groundswell rather than crumbly local windslop. The caveat is wind: only 25% of observations blow from the offshore SSW/SW/WSW quadrant, while NE-E sea breezes build in most afternoons. Morning sessions tend to be cleanest before the seabreeze and incoming NW-NNW winds mess with the line-up. With water temps at 20.3°C and mild air around 18.6°C, it's a good month for the longboard or shortboard depending on the set size.
Average Spot conditions at Raglan in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Raglan 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 Raglan for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Raglan 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 Raglan.