Conditions at Matadouro in January
January: Winter's Heavyweight Arrives
January is Matadouro in its full winter identity. The Atlantic is stacked, with the average swell height near 8.5ft (2.6m) and an average period of 13.0s - long-period groundswell is the rule, not the exception. The dominant swell directions are NW (21.9%) and WNW (17.7%), with NNW (9.5%) and W (4.7%) adding size and consistency. That is a strong match for this west-facing spot: lines arrive with serious volume and are capable of producing heavy, pitching waves once they hit the shallower parts of the surf zone.
Wind is the main catch. Ideal offshore flow from the ENE/E/ESE/SE quadrant is present 27% of the time, which is actually a good winter number, but the most common direction is NNW (12.7%), backed up by NNE (10.8%) and N (7.9%). These northerly winds tend to put a texture on the surface. When onshore W to NW flow kicks in, Matadouro turns into a bumpy closeout. The best days happen when a high-pressure ridge over Iberia produces clean east winds.
Weather is classic Portuguese winter: average air temperature 11.5°C, 2.49mm of rain per day, and water temperature 14.4°C. Bring a 4/3mm hooded wetsuit and be ready for cold, powerful sessions.
Average Spot conditions at Matadouro in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Matadouro 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 Matadouro for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Matadouro 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 Matadouro.