Manhattan Beach • Statistics for January

January: Deep Winter Meets Long-Period West Swell

January is the pinnacle of the winter season at Manhattan Beach. The North Pacific storm track is running hot, and the data shows just how dominant the favorable western window is: W swell accounts for nearly 59 percent of the total energy, with another 28 percent from WSW and 8 percent from SW - essentially all the swell is hitting the beach at an optimum angle. The average period clocks in at 12.4 seconds, so while the average height is only around 2-3ft (0.8m), the waves carry serious long-period punch and hold up far better than the size might suggest. Ideal offshore flow is present 52 percent of the time, keeping the surface clean for long sessions. Air temperatures hover near 11.8°C and the water is 14.0°C, so a 4/3mm wetsuit is standard. With 2.78 mm/day of precipitation, expect some frontal rain, but the clearing behind these systems often sets up the best and cleanest days of the month.