Conditions at Alvor in January
January: Winter Grind and Long Period Potential
The heart of winter delivers the biggest average swell of the year at 1.4m (4.5ft) and the longest average period of 12.9s. The North Atlantic is in full storm mode, and the wave rose shows WNW energy dominating at 37.2 percent, with NW close behind at 23.4 percent and W at 12.4 percent. Although Alvor's SSW-facing orientation means the most direct, well-organized waves arrive from S/SSW/SW, the long-period WNW and NW lines still wrap around Cape St Vincent to put real push into the sandbars. Ideal offshore wind blows 43 percent of the time, with NNW contributing 19.0 percent, NNE 8.6 percent, NE 6.8 percent, and N 5.9 percent. Water temperature sits at 16.0°C, air averages 13.8°C, and precipitation is 1.96mm/day. The magic happens when a low pressure system stalls near the Gulf of Cadiz and sends S/SW groundswell while a north-northeast wind keeps the surface glassy - those are the sessions that make January special. When the wind swings S or SW, the surf quickly becomes lumpy and onshore, so winter requires patience and a sharp eye on the wind forecast.
Average Spot conditions at Alvor in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Alvor 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 Alvor for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Alvor 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 Alvor.