Conditions at Paul do Mar in January
January: The Winter Heavyweight
January is the heart of the Portuguese winter surf year. The data shows an average swell height of 2.6m (8.5ft) and an average period of 12.9s, which is the kind of long-period energy that rearranges the sea floor. The catch is direction: 20.6% of the swell comes from the NNW and another 17.7% from the NW, while the SSW-SW-W window that truly lights up Paul do Mar only accounts for around 3%. Many days will therefore produce big, storm-weathered Atlantic lines without proper shape at the beach. When a depression sits far enough west to swing the fetch into the southwest, however, the spot turns powerful and hollow. The wind is offshore from the NNE/NE/ENE/E quadrant 45% of the time, so there are plenty of clean mornings to pick off the better pulses.
Air temperature averages 17.5°C (13.6-20.1°C) with a water temp of 18.8°C and 1.29mm/day of rain. A 4/3 wetsuit is the standard uniform in January.
Average Spot conditions at Paul do Mar in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Paul do Mar 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 Paul do Mar for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Paul do Mar 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 Paul do Mar.