Acapulco • Statistics for January

January: Clean Winter Lines and Offshore Mornings

January ushers in one of the most reliable windows for surf along Acapulco's south-facing coastline. Swell is present for nearly the entire month, with 53.4% of all wave energy arriving from the SSW and another 36.5% from the SW. The bulk of the swell falls in the 0.5-1m (2-3ft) fun-sized range, with a secondary 1-1.5m (3-5ft) class contributing around 17% -- enough to keep shortboards and logs moving. Periods average a healthy 13.2s, so even modest 3ft faces have long-period push and a clean shoulder.

Wind is the real story. Ideal offshore winds from N/NNE/NE/NNW blow 55% of the time, and the WNW/W/NW flow that dominates the wind rose is largely cross-offshore or light enough not to chop the bay. With average air temperatures near 24.7°C and only 0.31mm/day of rain, mornings often set up glassy while the afternoon sea breeze fills in. Water sits at 28.4°C, so a thin wetsuit or rash guard is all that is needed. January delivers dependable, if modest, quality surf.