Conditions at Malhao in January
January: Deep-Winter Groundswell at Full Roar
January is the heart of winter, and the North Atlantic is firing on all cylinders. Average swell height is 2.4m (8ft), with a powerful 13.1s average period, making this one of the biggest and most consistent months of the year. Swell direction is overwhelmingly favorable: WNW accounts for 23.6% of observations and NW for 24.2%, with another 5.2% from due W. That means Malhao's west-facing exposure is constantly under the influence of long-period groundswell. Ideal wind conditions occur 46% of the time, as NNE, ENE, and E offshore winds keep the faces clean between frontal passages. NNW is the most common wind at 14.5%, but it is often light enough to remain workable. Air temperatures average 11.1°C, precipitation averages 1.95 mm/day, and water temp is 15.3°C. If you want big, powerful, pumping surf in Portugal, January is the real deal.
Average Spot conditions at Malhao in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Malhao 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 Malhao for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Malhao 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 Malhao.