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Conditions at Rockaway-Manzanita in January
January: The Heart of the North Pacific Storm Season
January delivers the full force of winter. Average swells push 9-10ft (2.8-3.0m) with periods of 12.5s, making for powerful, long-period groundswell. The W, WNW and WSW directions combine for roughly 37% of all swell observations, with WNW and W leading the charge. Heights in the 5-8ft (1.5-2.5m) range dominate, and a notable share of waves exceed 8ft (2.5m), so expect pumping, firing conditions when the storm track lights up.
Wind is the main wildcard. Ideal offshore E, ESE and SE flow blows about 35% of the time, often as continental high pressure builds behind Pacific fronts. But southerly winds are a major player too, with S near 12% and SSW near 10% of the wind distribution. Air temperatures average a cold 5.1°C, water temperature sits at 9.4°C, and precipitation runs heavy at 8.62mm/day. This is cold, wet, serious big-wave surfing. Pick your windows carefully.
Average Spot conditions at Rockaway-Manzanita in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Rockaway-Manzanita 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 Rockaway-Manzanita for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Rockaway-Manzanita 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 Rockaway-Manzanita.