Conditions at Altura in January
January: Winter Groundswell and Clean Offshore Windows
The North Atlantic is in full winter mode, and on a south-southeast facing beach like Altura the useful swell comes from the southern quadrant. Average swell height is a solid 2-3ft (0.8m) with the longest mean period of the year at 8.1s. WSW and W energy dominate the broader wave rose, but the SE/SSE/S/SSW window still supplies close to 20 percent of the total swell, including pockets of 3-5ft (1-1.5m) surf from the southeast. The wind structure is what makes January special: NNW flow is dominant at 26.9 percent, NW adds another 10 percent, and ideal offshore conditions are present 45 percent of the time. With water temperature at 15.2C, air temperature averaging 13.3C and 1.87 mm/day of rain passing through, this is a month of cold fronts followed by clean offshore windows. When an Atlantic low dips far south, Altura can be surprisingly good.
Average Spot conditions at Altura in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Altura 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 Altura for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Altura 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 Altura.