Casino Pier • Statistics for January

January: Midwinter Swell and Arctic Offshore Winds

January is one of the most consistent months for surf size at Casino Pier, with an average swell height near 4-5ft (1.2-1.5m) and an average period of 6.9s. The wave rose shows a broad mix of energy: southerly swells are the most common (S 10.3%, SSW 9.0%, SSE 7.5%), but the east-northeast through southeast quadrant that Casino Pier is most exposed to adds up to around 24% of total observations. That comes largely from Nor'easters and offshore low pressure tracking along the Mid-Atlantic coast.

Wind is the big story. W, WNW and NW winds combine for over 40% of observations, with the 20-40kph bracket well represented, which spells frequent offshore and cross-offshore conditions for the east-facing beach. It's cold, though: average air temperature is just 0.2°C and water temperature drops to 5.8°C. When the NAO goes negative and the polar front jets south, January can deliver punchy 4-5ft peaks with chunky period. The catch is that a fresh NE wind in the wake of a coastal low will chop it apart quickly, so pick the post-frontal windows.