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Conditions at Rockaway Beach in January
January: Midwinter Atlantic Pulses and Arctic Offshore Flow
January brings peak winter energy to Rockaway Beach. The average swell height sits at 1.3m (4.3ft) with a period around 6.9s, placing most waves in the punchy, rideable windswell category rather than long-period groundswell. The swell rose is dominated by S (10.3%), SSW (9.0%) and SSE (7.5%) directions, with a healthy E and NW component mixed in. Crucially, the wind rose is loaded in the W/WNW/NW/NNW quadrant, giving the beach a strong offshore-to-cross-offshore bias and a 28% window of ideal conditions. When the North Atlantic low-pressure train lines up a S/SSE swell with a NW wind, Rockaway offers clean, hollow beach-break peaks. Air temperatures hover near 1.1°C, and water temps drop to 5.1°C (41°F), so winter rubber is mandatory.
Average Spot conditions at Rockaway Beach in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Rockaway Beach 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 Beach for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Rockaway Beach 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 Beach.