Conditions at Refsnes in January
January: Midwinter Muscle
January is the heart of the Norwegian surf season. The North Atlantic storm track is in full swing, with an average swell height of 8ft (2.4m) and an average period of 8.9s. Swell from the W/WSW/SW window makes up about a quarter of all observations, while a strong secondary NW/WNW component fills in the gaps. At Refsnes, which faces west-southwest, W and WSW swells have the most direct push; NW swell can still produce heavy shoulders but is less ideal. Size classes in the 1.5-2.5m range dominate the good directions, and occasional bigger sets push well overhead.
Wind is the main limiting factor. Ideal offshore E-NE flow appears only 17 percent of the time, while SE/SSE cross-shore winds and NNW flows are the most frequent players. Water temperature is a cold 5.9°C, air temperature averages just 2.8°C and precipitation is high at 6.31 mm/day. The best days come after a low passes south of Iceland and a high-pressure wedge builds from the east: solid 6-8ft (1.8-2.4m) W/SW swell under a fresh NE offshore wind, with clean, glassy faces in the middle of a Norwegian winter.
Average Spot conditions at Refsnes in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Refsnes 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 Refsnes for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Refsnes 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 Refsnes.