Conditions at Backdoor in January
January: The Core of North Pacific Winter
The North Pacific is running at full tilt in January, and Backdoor is the beneficiary. Average swell height hits 2.7m (8.9ft) with an average period of 12.8s - true long-period ground swell. The direction rose is led by NNW (16.2%) and NW (9.5%), with another 3.2% from due N, meaning nearly 29% of the total wave energy is arriving from the ideal northern and northwestern quadrants for this northwest-facing reef. A large portion of that energy sits in the 1.5-2.5m (5-8ft) range, with some sets pushing well over 2.5m (8ft). Winds, however, are still primarily from the trade-wind sector: E (23.1%) and ENE (17.8%) combine for over 40% of observations, and those blow onshore or cross-shore at Backdoor. The saving grace is that ideal offshore wind windows from S through W occur 27% of the time. When a break in the trades or a sea breeze cycle allows light southerly to westerly winds, Backdoor serves up grinding, shallow barrels. Air temperatures hover near 22.8°C (min 18.3°C, max 26.5°C) with 1.99 mm/day of rain and water temperature around 24.1°C.
Average Spot conditions at Backdoor in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Backdoor 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 Backdoor for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Backdoor 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 Backdoor.