Porth Neigwl • Statistics for January

January: The Midwinter Engine Room

January is peak season at Porth Neigwl, with the average swell sitting at 8ft (2.5m) and an average period of 11.7s - firmly in the powerful long-period bracket. The wave rose is dominated by W swell (17.7%), followed by WSW (12.8%) and WNW (6.3%), with a good chunk of SW energy as well. That means the beach's west-northwest exposure is almost constantly under fire, and the 2-2.5m class is the most common size range on W and WSW swells. However, this is the stormiest time of year, and the same systems that generate the swell also drag onshore winds from WSW/W/NW. Ideal offshore E/SE wind occurs only 16% of the time, so the ratio of epic to washed-out days is low. When a transient high slips in behind a cold front, the wind can clock to the east and turn those churning Atlantic lines into clean, hollow, screaming waves. Air temperatures average 9.3°C with 3.45mm/day of precipitation and water temp at 10.0°C, so a 5/4 hooded suit is mandatory.