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Conditions at Whangapoua Beach in January
January: Summer Lull and Offshore Window Chasing
January at Whangapoua Beach is a classic summer lull. The average wave height is a modest 1.5ft (0.5m), with a 7.5s average period that falls into the punchy, rideable windswell band. The swell rose shows a promising 53% of all waves arriving from the favorable N-NNE-NE-ENE window, with NE and ENE leading at 20% and 19% respectively and NNE contributing 11%. The catch is size: most of that energy is below 3ft (1m), and waves bigger than 5ft (1.5m) are virtually absent.
Wind is the limiting factor. The SW-WSW quadrant blows offshore 30% of the time, and onshore N-NE winds occur 21% of the time, but the ideal combination of light, well-directed offshore wind and a decent swell window only occurs 1% of the time. You need to nail a light WSW morning to turn those tiny NE pulses into clean, peeling waves. With air temperatures averaging 19.5°C, water at 20.2°C and precipitation of 1.83mm/day, it is comfortable in the water but very much a small-wave month.
Average Spot conditions at Whangapoua Beach in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Whangapoua Beach 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 Whangapoua Beach for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Whangapoua Beach 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 Whangapoua Beach.