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Conditions at Cardiff Reef in January
January: Winter Grip and Clean Offshore Windows
January at Cardiff Reef is the heart of the North Pacific winter season. Swell arrives almost exclusively from the W (62.8%) and WSW (25.2%), with a smaller SW component. The average swell height is right around 3ft (1m), and the average period of 12.6s puts this in the powerful long-period category, so even average days hold real energy. The most common wave heights fall in the 2-3ft (0.6-0.9m) range, but a healthy 35-40 percent of the swell exceeds 1m, bringing plenty of 3-5ft (1-1.5m) surfable waves.
Wind is the big winner this month. The ideal offshore sector - NE through ESE - accounts for a large share of observations, and overall the data reports ideal surf wind 50 percent of the time. That means Cardiff's west-southwest exposure can line up clean and glassy, with light east/northeast winds grooming the W and WSW swell into rippable peaks. Rain and cool air (average 14.6°C, water 14.6°C) are part of the winter package, but this is the month when consistency, power and wind all align for the best surf of the year.
Average Spot conditions at Cardiff Reef in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Cardiff Reef 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 Cardiff Reef for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Cardiff Reef 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 Cardiff Reef.