Conditions at Ribeira d'Ilhas in January
January: Deep-Winter Groundswell at Full Roar
January is peak season at Ribeira d'Ilhas. The North Atlantic storm track sits directly over Iberia, driven by a strong Icelandic Low and a displaced Azores High, and the average surf height comes in at 2.6m (8.5ft) with an average period of 13.0s - long-period, powerful groundswell. The waverose is dominated by NW (21.9%) and WNW (17.7%) swell, with solid 2m+ contributions from NW, WNW and NNW; the west-southwest-facing lineup handles this energy well, especially when the direction carries a touch of west in it. The wind is the only limiting factor: NNW (12.7%) and NNE (10.8%) winds are common, but the offshore quadrant - NE, ENE, E and ESE - still produces a healthy 24% of observations, with ideal surf conditions flagged 27% of the time. When a high-pressure cell slides over the continent, the easterly outflow lays the ocean glassy and you get 6-8ft (1.8-2.4m) perfection. Water temps sit at 14.4°C and air temps average 11.5°C, so winter rubber is a must, but the reward is world-class Atlantic wave quality.
Average Spot conditions at Ribeira d'Ilhas in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Ribeira d'Ilhas 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 Ribeira d'Ilhas for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Ribeira d'Ilhas 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 Ribeira d'Ilhas.