Conditions at Los Locos in January
January: Deep Mid-Winter Groundswell And The Offshore Window
The rhythm of January is set by deep North Atlantic lows. Swell arrives from the NW 36.2% of the time, with WNW adding 17.5% and NNW 11.1%, so the vast majority of waves travel straight into the west-northwest-facing beach. Average heights sit around 6-8ft (1.8-2.4m) and the average period of 12.9s puts this month firmly in powerful long-period territory. When the stars align, the surf is heavy, pitching and well overhead.
Wind is the main variable. Conditions are ideal roughly 49% of the time, usually under light-to-moderate offshore flow from S, SSW, SW and WSW. However, frontal systems also drag in raw W and WNW winds-11.5% and 11.7% of the time respectively-which can put a messy chop on otherwise clean waves. With air temperatures around 9.6°C and water at 13.3°C, winter rubber is essential, but the payoff is some of the most consistent, powerful surf the spot sees all year.
Average Spot conditions at Los Locos in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Los Locos 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 Los Locos for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Los Locos 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 Los Locos.