Conditions at Faja dos Cubres in January
January: Deep-Winter Atlantic Power
January delivers the heaviest average surf of the year at Faja dos Cubres. The numbers show a mean swell height of 6-7ft (1.8-2.1m) and an average period of 10.5s-deep-water groundswell capable of wrapping around the island and standing up on the north-facing fajã. The swell rose is dominated by WSW, W and WNW energy (10.9, 12.5 and 12.2 percent respectively), with a healthy 8.6 percent from NW and 6.4 percent from NNW. The true north and NE sectors are less represented, so the fajã does its best work when low pressure systems align west of Ireland and the swell fills in from the northern quadrant.
Winds are the wildcard. Only 10 percent of the time is the wind ideal for surfing, because the same storms that generate the swell also throw strong SW and WSW gales; those are offshore directions here, but they often blow 30-50kph and create unsurfable chaos. On the flip side, north-northeast winds-the onshore, wave-wrecking directions-make up a small chunk of the distribution, so when a cold front clears and the pressure gradient relaxes, SSW-SW offshore flow can turn raw 10s groundswell into clean, reeling lines. With air at 15.4°C and water at 16.3°C, January is serious surf season: come prepared, pick your windows, and enjoy the power.
Average Spot conditions at Faja dos Cubres in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Faja dos Cubres 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 Faja dos Cubres for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Faja dos Cubres 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 Faja dos Cubres.