Conditions at Guincho in January
January: Deep-Water Powerhouse
January is statistically the punchiest month of the year at Guincho. Average swell runs a solid 8-9ft (2.5-2.7m) on a 13.0s period, and the swell roses light up across the WNW, NW and NNW directions - together nearly half the month's wave energy. With the beach aimed at west-northwest, these are the true groundswell windows: steep, powerful, often in the 5-8ft (1.5-2.4m) zone and frequently pushing overhead-plus, with XL days well over 8ft (2.4m). The North Atlantic storm track is at full throttle, and negative NAO winters can deliver consecutive pulse trains alongside rain and southward-moving low pressures. Wind-wise, the eastern quadrant supplies offshore flow about 25% of the time, which is why January offers both size and the best chance of glassy conditions. Precipitation runs around 2.3mm per day, air temperatures average 13°C, and water temperature sits at 14.6°C. This is serious winter surf: bring warm rubber and a big-wave quiver, because when it lines up, Guincho is a proper heavyweight.
Average Spot conditions at Guincho in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Guincho 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 Guincho for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Guincho 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 Guincho.