Point Leo • Statistics for January

January: The Summer Lull and Midday Onshore

January is the heart of the Australian summer, and Point Leo feels the full force of its limitations. The average swell height holds at 1.4m (4.6ft) with a modest 11.2s period, meaning less power and more inconsistency in the water. Swell direction is heavily dominated by SW and SSW, together accounting for 74.8% of all wave energy. The south-facing break sees the SSW component most favorably, while the SW energy arrives more obliquely and with less push. The 3-5ft (1-1.5m) range is the most common, with a solid 38% of waves falling into the fun, rippable category, but only 12% of the time does the wind blow offshore. Instead, the wind distribution shows SW (13.5%) and SSW (13.2%) as the most frequent directions, along with a strong ESE/SE component - all of which spell onshore or cross-shore, bumpy conditions. Water temp climbs to 19.7°C, air temp averages 18.1°C, and precipitation is low at 1.57 mm/day. It's warm, but the summer seabreeze tends to kick in by mid-morning, shredding the surface. Catch it on a dawn N/NE offshore and you'll find some fun, small barrels, but be prepared to wrestle the chop.