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Conditions at Elands Bay in January
January: High Summer Groundswell
January is small but far from flat at Elands Bay. The average swell height is 1.3m (4.3ft) with a period around 11.5s, and the deep-water wave rose is completely dominated by the southwest quadrant: 63.5% of the swell comes from the SW and 33.1% from the WSW. True N/NW swell is almost nonexistent, so surfers are relying on long-period SW/WSW groundswell that wraps into the northwest-facing bay. The biggest single wave-height class is 1-1.5m (3-5ft), which accounts for about half of all observations, with a secondary chunk in the 1.5-2m (5-6.5ft) range.
Winds are the main issue. S and SSW directions are the most common, but only 23% of the month is classed as ideal for surfing. The South Atlantic high can generate fresh afternoon south-southwesterly winds that put a ripple on the surface. Air temperatures average 20.3°C, water temperature sits at 16.8°C, and rain is negligible at 0.24mm/day. Look for the morning glass-off and pockets of straighter S/SSW swell for the cleanest Elands Bay sessions.
Average Spot conditions at Elands Bay in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Elands Bay 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 Elands Bay for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Elands Bay 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 Elands Bay.