Conditions at Sines in January
January: Full-Send Winter Groundswell
The North Atlantic is at its most aggressive in January. Average swell height reaches 7.9ft (2.4m) with an average period of 13.1 seconds, putting the ocean in the very powerful, long-period category. The deep-water rose is dominated by WNW at 23.6 percent and NW at 24.2 percent, with W and NNW adding another 11 percent of background energy. That means there is no shortage of heavy Atlantic power, but at Sines it is the less frequent S/SW and WSW windows that yield the best shape, since the beach faces south. When those swells arrive alongside an offshore N/NNE/NE or NNW breeze, you can find proper, pumping waves with excellent structure. Ideal wind blows 52 percent of the time, so it is absolutely worth chasing the clean windows.
Air temperatures average 11.1°C, with extreme lows near -0.8°C and highs up to 20.4°C. Rain is common at 1.95 mm per day and water temperatures sit near 15.2°C, so a hooded 4/3 wetsuit is the winter uniform.
Average Spot conditions at Sines in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Sines 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 Sines for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Sines 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 Sines.