Conditions at El Porto in January
January: Peak Winter Groundswell and Offshore Windows
January is one of El Porto's most consistent months. Average swell height comes in around 2.5-3ft (0.8m), but the 12.4s average period means the lines have real push. The swell rose is overwhelmingly from the west, with W swells accounting for 58.9% and WSW another 27.6%. The bulk of the energy sits in the 2-3ft (0.5-1m) band, while the 3-5ft (1-1.5m) class is well represented and occasional 5-8ft (1.5-2.5m) sets keep the larger winter days in play. This is classic long-period groundswell, and with a WSW-facing beach, El Porto picks it up with maximum efficiency.
Ideal wind arrives 51% of the time, tied for the best month of the year. NNE flow dominates the wind rose, but the real magic happens when a Great Basin high noses toward the coast and turns the flow NE to ESE. Those offshore drains groom the west swell into clean, peaky sandbars. Air temperatures average 11.8°C, water temperature sits at 14.0°C, and rain is a regular winter feature at 2.78mm/day, so bring the wetsuit and a rain shell for the dawn patrol.
Average Spot conditions at El Porto in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at El Porto 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 El Porto for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at El Porto 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 El Porto.