Conditions at Costa Nova in January
January: Midwinter Muscle
January is Costa Nova at its rawest. The North Atlantic storm track is in full swing, driving an average swell height of around 8ft (2.5m) at a powerful 12.9s period. The swell window is dominated by WNW (22 per cent) and NW (18.5 per cent) groundswell, with a solid helping of due W and WSW energy, giving the west-facing sandbars a steady supply of thick, lined-up waves. Long-period groundswell in the 15-18s range is not uncommon when intense low pressures deepen off Greenland or the British Isles.
On the wind front, the ideal offshore quadrant is surprisingly effective in January, with ideal conditions clocking in at 49 per cent of the time, largely thanks to continental high pressure over Iberia directing E and ENE winds out across the land to the sea. With air temperatures averaging 10.2°C (min -1.0°C, max 19.2°C), water temperatures at 13.7°C and near 3.93mm/day of precipitation, sessions are cold and wet, but the reward is some of the most powerful, sizeable surf of the year.
Average Spot conditions at Costa Nova in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Costa Nova 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 Costa Nova for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Costa Nova 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 Costa Nova.