Conditions at Arish in January
January: Midwinter Groundswell Engine
January is the raw engine room of the North Atlantic. The average swell height sits at 1.6m (5-6ft) with an average period of 12.2s, which is textbook powerful long-period groundswell. The wave rose is dominated by NNW (45%) and NW (22%) energy, with an extra 13% from N and 9% from NNE. For a beach facing WSW, this means the open and best-aligned SSW-SW swell windows are rare; instead, the bulk of the surf arrives as long-period NNW/NW groundswell that wraps and refracts around the desert coastline. The trade wind regime is also in prime position: a combined 73% of observations come from the NE through E quadrant, and the ideal surfing wind clock is at 46%, the best of the winter months.
What this adds up to is consistent, lined-up surf in the head-high to overhead range, with plenty of sets pushing through the 1.5-2.5m (5-8ft) bracket. Water temperature is 17.8°C, air temperatures average 17.2°C, and rain is negligible at 0.12mm/day, so your main concern is choosing between the dawn glass and the afternoon trade wind increase.
Average Spot conditions at Arish in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Arish 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 Arish for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Arish 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 Arish.