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Conditions at Witches Rock in January
January: The Trade-Wind Grind
January is dominated by a classic Northeast trade-wind setup at Witches Rock. The swell rose shows ENE (41%) and NE (35%) accounting for the bulk of the wave energy, with the majority of heights in the 1-2m (3-6.5ft) range. That leaves only around 5% of the energy arriving from the ideal SSW to W window, so the beach is essentially shadowed from proper long-period groundswell. The average period sits at a modest 8.0s, putting this squarely in the average, punchy and rideable category rather than powerful groundswell. Wind-wise, northeast winds dominate at 68.6%, with a further 25.3% from ENE, blowing offshore; however, the 20-40kph gusts keep the sea surface rumpled. The ideal surf window is just 23%. With air temperatures around 25.9°C, water at 26.6°C and very little rain (0.12mm/day), it is warm but not particularly thrilling. Look for the rare morning glass-off and any 10s+ SW energy to find the best corners.
Average Spot conditions at Witches Rock in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Witches Rock 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 Witches Rock for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Witches Rock 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 Witches Rock.