Conditions at Cordoama in January
January: Deep-Water Winter Power
January sits firmly in the core of the European winter, and Cordoama feels the full force of the North Atlantic. Average swell height runs about 8ft (2.4m) with a period near 13.1s, so this northwest-facing beach is often under the influence of powerful, long-period groundswell. The directional data show why: NW swells account for 27.5% of all readings, WNW adds 16.9%, and NNW another 9.4%, putting the spot right in the optimal swell window more than half the time. Wave heights in the 1.5-2.5m (5-8ft) range dominate, and readings over 2.5m (8ft) are not uncommon. The challenge is wind. Ideal offshore flow from the W/SW quadrant occurs only 19% of the time, while the most frequent wind is NNW at 19% - a direction that puts onshore texture on the face. Add water temperature of 15.7C and air temps averaging 13.8C (lows near 6C, highs near 19C), and you get the classic Portuguese winter: solid, demanding surf that requires patience for a clean window.
Average Spot conditions at Cordoama in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Cordoama 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 Cordoama for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Cordoama 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 Cordoama.