Conditions at Praia do Norte in January
January: Peak Winter Power
January is the heart of the winter season at Praia do Norte. The average swell height is a solid 2.4m (8ft) and the average period reaches 13.1 seconds, firmly in powerful long-period territory. The swell rose is dominated by WNW at 24.8% and NW at 21.6%, with an additional 6.4% from straight W and 6.3% from NNW. That means the vast majority of wave energy is aimed directly at this west-facing slab, regularly producing heavy, lined-up surf with occasional XXL bombs from swells over 2.5m (8ft+).
Wind direction is more mixed, with NNW at 15.1% and ESE at 9.9% being the most frequent individual signals. However, the ideal offshore quadrant NO/ONO/O/OSO still appears often enough that 47% of all wind observations are considered ideal for surfing. With air temperatures around 12.2°C and water temperature at 14.2°C, January is cold, wet, and powerful - the true payoff month for experienced big-wave surfers.
Average Spot conditions at Praia do Norte in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Praia do Norte 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 Praia do Norte for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Praia do Norte 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 Praia do Norte.