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Conditions at Playa Valor in January
January: The Dry Season Micro-Swell Window
The first month of the year sets the tone for Playa Valor: lots of long-period energy but almost no height. The average swell height is just under 1ft (0.2m), with an average period of 10.9s - long-period enough to create real momentum if the height were there. The dominant swell direction is SSW at 50.1%, with S swell at 12.4% and a smaller NE component of 11.2%. Almost all of it falls in the under 1.5ft (0.5m) 'micro' range. The bright side is the dry-season wind pattern. NNE winds are the most common at 14.8%, and the combined offshore quadrant (NNE, NE, ENE and E) reaches 23.5%, giving mornings a clean, lined-up feel. Onshore SSW-SW winds still appear 28% of the time, mostly light, and the data flags ideal surf conditions just 1% of the time. With only 0.36mm/day of rain and a water temperature of 28.3°C (83°F), this is a month for small longboard waves in the morning, not for chasing slabs.
Average Spot conditions at Playa Valor in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Playa Valor 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 Playa Valor for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Playa Valor 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 Playa Valor.