Conditions at Rossnowlagh in January
January: Midwinter Muscle
January is as good as it gets at Rossnowlagh. The average swell height sits near 6ft (1.8m) with an average period of 12.6s, which puts most of the wave energy in the powerful, long-period category. W and WNW swells are the dominant players, together accounting for nearly half of all observations (23.3% W and 26.0% WNW), with NW a useful secondary at 10.7%. The table shows a meaty spread of 1.5-2.5m waves coming from those directions, so the potential for solid, pumping surf is high. However, the wind rose is not kind: SW, WSW, S, and SSW winds collectively dominate, and those are the onshore directions that put chop on the face. Only about 24% of the time is the wind favorable, usually when a ridge pushes in from the east and produces offshore E/ESE or light NE/ENE flow. Air temperatures average 4.5°C, water temperature is 8.6°C, and precipitation runs at 4.3mm/day, so be ready for cold, raw Atlantic conditions.
Average Spot conditions at Rossnowlagh in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Rossnowlagh 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 Rossnowlagh for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Rossnowlagh 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 Rossnowlagh.