Conditions at Mareta in January
January: Deep-Water Winter Power, But Angle Is Everything
January sits at the heart of the Algarve winter with an average swell height of 8ft (2.4m) and a powerful 13.1s period. The swell rose is dominated by NW (27.5%), WNW (16.9%) and NNW (9.4%) energy - exactly the wrong angle for this south-facing beach. If anything, those long westerly/northwesterly groundswells wrap into the bay, but the real magic happens when the pattern shifts to SE, SSE or S. The wind distribution offers a silver lining: offshore flow from NNW (19%), NNE (10.4%), N (7.7%) and NW (6.3%) keeps the surface glassy on a regular basis, and an ideal wind score of 29% is one of the best of winter. Air temps average 13.8°C (min 6.2°C, max 18.8°C) with 15.8°C water, so bring the 5/3 and enjoy the rare winter pulse that actually aligns.
Average Spot conditions at Mareta in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Mareta 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 Mareta for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Mareta 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 Mareta.