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Conditions at Smiths Beach in January
January: Summer Groundswell and the Midday Sea Breeze
The summer doldrums are in full swing across southern Australia, but Smiths Beach still sees a surprisingly consistent 6ft (1.9m) of average swell with a long 11.8-second period. Most of that energy arrives from the SSW/SW with a little WSW filler; true N/NW swell is essentially absent from the buoy data. In other words, the ocean is running, but the angle is less than ideal for this NW-facing stretch.
Wind is the bigger challenge. The high pressure ridge parks over the Bight, producing a daily SSE/S sea breeze that peaks at 20-40kph through the afternoon. Offshore flow happens only 17 percent of the time, and when it does, it is usually light SSW/SW in the early morning before the seabreeze kicks in. With air temperatures averaging 20.4°C, water at 20.6°C and just 0.42mm/day of rain, it is all about catching the dawn patrol window.
Average Spot conditions at Smiths Beach in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Smiths 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 Smiths Beach for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Smiths 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 Smiths Beach.