Conditions at Jardins do Mar in January
January: The Atlantic's Heavyweight Rounds
January is the heart of the North Atlantic's winter fury. The average swell height runs a solid 8.5ft (2.6m) with an average period of 12.9s, meaning the angrier members of the wave family arrive with serious power. The dominant swell directions in the rose are NNW (20.6%) and NW (17.7%), with an additional 6.5% from WNW; the ideal SSW/SW/WSW/W window only accounts for a small fraction of the energy. For a southwest-facing spot like Jardins do Mar, that means much of the January swell is angled slightly north of optimum, and the best days are those where the low-pressure centres track far enough west to send lines from due west. On the wind front, ideal offshore conditions blow 45% of the time, but the same winter pressure gradient frequently brings a punchy NNE/NE trade flow (NNE 13.4%, NE 15.9%) that adds bump. With air temps averaging 17.6°C (min 13.9°C, max 20.4°C), precipitation around 1.44 mm/day, and water temperature at 18.8°C, a 4/3 wetsuit is the daily call. Watch the NAO-when it dips negative, the southward-shifting storm track can create genuinely firing conditions.
Average Spot conditions at Jardins do Mar in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Jardins do Mar 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 Jardins do Mar for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Jardins do Mar 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 Jardins do Mar.