Conditions at Matosinhos in January
January: Midwinter Groundswell Power
January sits at the peak of the Portuguese winter. The average swell height is a solid 6ft (1.8m), with the wave period stretching out to a powerful 12.7s, the longest of the year. The wave rose tells a classic story: WNW swells account for nearly 47% of the spectrum, with W (16%) and NW (16%) filling out the rest. A large share of those waves arrive in the 5-8ft (1.5-2.5m) range, which puts Matosinhos in peak pumping mode whenever the sandbar lines up. The wind only plays along 47% of the time, but when high pressure over the continent sets up an offshore NNE/NE/ENE/E flow, the surf is groomed and clean; storms approaching from the southwest drag in S/SSW winds that put a chop on the face. Air temps average 10.4°C, water temp is 13.6°C, and the rain is frequent at 4.24 mm/day, so bring the hood and the patience.
Average Spot conditions at Matosinhos in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Matosinhos 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 Matosinhos for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Matosinhos 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 Matosinhos.