Conditions at Cobden in January
January: Midsummer Swell in the Balance
Cobden starts the year on an exposed northwest-facing beach, and January brings a mix of fun, long-period summer swells and a very unreliable wind. Average wave heights sit around 5-6ft (1.7m) with a period of 11.3s - solidly in the powerful 10-14s band. The swell rose is dominated by WSW at 42%, while the preferred W-WNW-NW-NNW sector accounts for a combined 46% of incoming energy. That means there is real groundswell wrapping into the bay. The problem is the wind: ideal offshore E/ESE/SE/SSE flow only clocks in 30% of the time, while the onshore W-WNW-NW-NNW quadrant blows 45% of the time. When a fast-moving Tasman low pushes through with westerly winds, the surf becomes lumpy and short-period. But on the 30% of days when an ESE offshore breeze lines up, those 1.5-2m (5-6.5ft) waves clean up beautifully. Water temperature is 17.1°C, air temp averages 14.8°C, and rainfall is moderate at 5.13mm/day.
Average Spot conditions at Cobden in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Cobden 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 Cobden for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Cobden 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 Cobden.