Conditions at Madalena do Mar in January
January: The Heart of the North Atlantic Roar
January sits right in the prime slot of the Madeira winter. The average open-ocean swell stands at 8.5ft (2.6m) with a 12.9s period, making it the biggest and most powerful month of the year on paper. The dominant swell directions are NNW (20.6%), NW (17.7%) and WNW (6.5%), meaning the Atlantic is firing from the north-west; those long-period swells wrap around Madeira's west side and pour into the SSW-facing beach. Direct southwest-to-west-southwest swell from the ideal window is only around 1% of the time, so most quality comes from the shadowed north-west groundswell rather than pure southerly swell. Still, when periods exceed 14s, the bathymetry at Madalena do Mar can turn that wrap into clean, hollow lines. Wind is ideal 43% of the time, mainly from the NE (15.9%), NNE (13.4%) and ENE (9.3%), which blows straight offshore across the SSW-facing sand. Air temperatures hover around 16.4°C with 1.36mm/day of rain, while the water sits at 18.8°C, so a 3/2 wetsuit is the standard uniform for your dawn patrol.
Average Spot conditions at Madalena do Mar in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Madalena 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 Madalena do Mar for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Madalena 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 Madalena do Mar.