Conditions at Arrifana in January
January: Midwinter Powerhouse
January is the heart of the European winter and Arrifana feels every bit of it. The average swell reaches 2.4m (8ft) with a 13.1s period - long-period, powerful and very consistent. The swell rose is dominated by NW (27.5%) and WNW (16.9%) energy, with a smaller but important slice of direct W swell (3.8%) and enough long-period wrap to keep the bay alive between groundswell pulses. Winds are offshore or clean 54% of the time, with the NNE through E quadrants contributing solid windows between passing fronts; light northwesterly and southwesterly breezes are the main spoilers. Air temps hover around 11.1C and water sits at 15.5C, so pack a proper winter suit. When an Atlantic low bombs out to the northwest, Arrifana can easily push into XL territory - this is not a month to underestimate.
Average Spot conditions at Arrifana in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Arrifana 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 Arrifana for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Arrifana 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 Arrifana.