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Conditions at The Dunes in January
January: The Summer Lull
January is deep summer at The Dunes and the South Atlantic high is in full control. The average swell still sits at a solid 2.3m (7.5ft) with an 11.1s period, but the direction mix is not your friend. SSW/SW energy dominates the wave rose - SSW at 17.8 percent and SW at 27.6 percent - while the ideal WSW/W/WNW/NW window accounts for only about 7.5 percent of all swell. That leaves a lot of energy either too south for the WNW-facing beach or shadowed and refracted into less organized lines.
Wind is the bigger issue. SSE winds dominate at 37.1 percent, with S winds at 17.9 percent and SE winds at 14.2 percent. The ideal offshore ONO/O/OSO/SO flow is present just 9 percent of the time, which means many days are bumpy or cross-offshore rather than clean. Strong summertime SE flow in the 30-40kph range can also add plenty of texture. Water temp is a seasonable 18.2C, air temps hover around 20C, and rainfall is low. If you catch a dawn window with moderate ESE/SE wind and a stray bit of WSW swell, it's still fun and rippable - just not the prime season.
Average Spot conditions at The Dunes in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at The Dunes 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 The Dunes for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at The Dunes 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 The Dunes.