Conditions at Kirra in January
January: Summer Trade Swell Meets a North Wind Battle
January sits firmly in the South Pacific summer pattern. The long-range swell charts show an average height of 1.1m (3.5ft) with a modest 8s period, and the dominant swell energy comes from the E (39%) and ESE (24%), with a solid NE/ENE component too. For a north-facing set-up like Kirra, that means plenty of east in the swell, but the lack of any true N/NNW swell is noticeable. Meanwhile, the wind rose tells the real story: NNW (13%), NNE (10%) and sea-breeze-driven SE/SSE (27%) dominate, leaving only 39% of time in the ideal offshore S-SSW window. The result is often bumpy, lower-period surf, especially once the afternoon NE seabreeze kicks in. When a late-afternoon S change or a tropical low in the Coral Sea pushes counter-clockwise, the E/ESE swell can fire with clean 3-5ft (1-1.5m) waves. Air temperatures average 25.0°C, water temperature is 25.2°C, and daily rain of 4.63mm keeps the humidity high - typical Queensland summer.
Average Spot conditions at Kirra in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Kirra 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 Kirra for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Kirra 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 Kirra.