Conditions at Lagoa de Albufeira in January
January: The North Atlantic Roars at Full Volume
January is the statistical peak of the surf year at Lagoa de Albufeira. The average swell sits at 2.0m (6-7ft) with a long 13.0s period, and the swell rose shows a firmly west-northwest footprint: WNW delivers 37.4% of the total, NW 22.8%, and W 9.6%. That means a huge share of the energy arrives from the optimal W-WNW-NW window, wrapping nicely into this west-facing beach with real power.
The wind statistics are also in our favor more often than any other month, with ideal surfing conditions 31% of the time. ENE/E/ESE/SE offshore flow combines for roughly one-fifth of the wind observations, while the abundant NNE-NE-E flow keeps many dawn sessions clean. Air temperatures average 12.9°C (min 4.7°C, max 18.1°C), precipitation is moderate at 2.28 mm/day, and the water temperature is 14.8°C - so bring the rubber, but prepare for some of the most serious, long-period surf of the year. When a cold front passes and the wind snaps offshore, the beach can hold well overhead WNW groundswell in the 6-8ft (1.8-2.4m) range and bigger.
Average Spot conditions at Lagoa de Albufeira in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Lagoa de Albufeira 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 Lagoa de Albufeira for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Lagoa de Albufeira 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 Lagoa de Albufeira.