Conditions at Agua d'Alto in January
January: Midwinter Atlantic Roar
January is as heavy as it gets at Agua d'Alto. The average swell of 2.7m (9ft) and 12.3s period put the beach in powerful, long-period territory, with the bulk of the wave energy sitting in the 1.5-2.5m (5-8ft) range and an occasional XL set pushing past 2.5m. Directionally, the deep-water data is dominated by NNW, NW and WNW swell, while the true S-SSW-SW-WSW window is a smaller slice of the total. Still, when an Atlantic low directs a SW-to-W component at the SSW-facing beach, those are the cleanest, heaviest waves of the month.
Wind is the challenge. Ideal offshore N, NNE, NE and ENE breezes are present only 20% of the time, while SW winds blow 11.4% and SSW/WSW each add nearly another 9-10%. That combo makes for plenty of lumpy, onshore days. The reward for waiting is the classic Portuguese winter clearing: northerly offshore wind, 12-second swell, and the beach lighting up with powerful, peaky walls. Water temperature is 16.6°C, air temps average 15.9°C, and precipitation runs 2.27 mm/day.
Average Spot conditions at Agua d'Alto in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Agua d'Alto 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 Agua d'Alto for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Agua d'Alto 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 Agua d'Alto.