Santa Catarina • Statistics for January

January: The North Atlantic Roars Back

January is the heart of the Portuguese winter. The average open-ocean swell height reaches 10ft (3.0m) and the average period is a solid 12.2s, which puts most of the energy in the powerful long-period category. The wave rose is dominated by W-facing to N-facing swell, especially WNW at 6.8%, NW at 8.4% and NNW at 6.9%, with a meaningful contribution from true west at 3.9%. Those directional windows are not the absolute optimum for this north-east-facing break, but enough of the long-period energy wraps around and pushes toward the beach. The wind picture is more complicated: SSW at 10%, SW at 11.9%, WSW at 9.7% and W at 7.1% are all offshore directions, but these winds are frequently blowing 30-50kph, leaving only 11% of the month in the ideal window. On the best days, a cold front passes, the wind backs to SW/W and goes light, and the lines groom cleanly. Water temps hover near 16.2°C (61°F), air around 15.8°C (60°F), and the wet winter keeps the place lush and uncrowded.