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Conditions at Pikinini in January
January: The Monsoon Mess
January is the heart of the northwest monsoon. The dominant swell train rolls in from the NNE at 4ft (1.3m) on average with a powerful 10.4s period, so there is real energy in the water. The problem is that Pikinini is a west-facing spot, and the NNE-heavy swell rose is largely shadowed. Meanwhile, the westerly quadrant accounts for over 65% of the wind, with WNW and NW flows alone near 36%. That leaves the beach bumpy and onshore most of the time. Only 25% of the wind distribution is ideal. When a transient ridge sets up east of PNG and the breeze turns offshore from the east through northeast, those longer-period pulses can wrap in as clean 3-5ft (1-1.5m) waves. But the default is warm, humid, unstable tropical air with 28.3C temperatures, about 7.8 mm/day of rain, and a sticky 29.7C ocean.
Average Spot conditions at Pikinini in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Pikinini 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 Pikinini for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Pikinini 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 Pikinini.