Conditions at Prainha in January
January: Depth-Charge Season
January is the heart of the Portuguese winter, with average swell height coming in at a burly 9ft (2.8m) and the mean period a powerful 13.1s. The wave rose is heavily loaded in the northern quadrant: NW contributes 18.4 percent, WNW 15.2 percent and NNW 8.0 percent, while true west adds a further 4.4 percent. Most energy sits in the 6-8ft (1.8-2.4m) and 8ft-plus (over 2.5m) classes, confirming a serious open-ocean groundswell regime. For west-facing Prainha, the W and WNW lines are the best-conditioned; NW is more angled but still delivers grinding power.
Winds are ideal 40 percent of the time, one of the best stats of the season. When frontal systems pass, southerly and westerly winds can turn the surface messy, but cold post-frontal northwesterly flow often leaves behind groomed, lined-up faces. Air temperature averages 12.2°C, water temperature is 14.4°C, and rain is persistent at 2.82mm/day-bring warm rubber and expect some runoff in the lineup.
Average Spot conditions at Prainha in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Prainha 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 Prainha for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Prainha 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 Prainha.