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Conditions at Seal Point in January
January: Summer Swell and Easterly Bumps
January is peak summer on the South African south coast. The average swell sits at 8ft (2.4m) with a period of 10.9s, so there is always something to surf. Swell energy comes mostly from the SSW (19.7%) and SW (18.9%), with a solid assist from the S (9.8%). The E-ESE-SE-SSE window, which is the best direction for the beach, accounts for roughly 17 percent of the total and often delivers clean 5-8ft (1.5-2.4m) waves with a long-period sheen.
The main problem is wind. The E/ESE onshore flow is the dominant regime, with E winds totaling 19.0 percent and ESE another 10.0 percent. Combined with SE/SSE winds, the onshore quadrant blows over 38 percent of the time, while the offshore W/WNW/NW/NNW quadrant only delivers around 16 percent. That leaves ideal surf wind at just 22 percent. Air temperatures average 21.5°C with water at 20.1°C, so summer suits a boardies-to-spring-suit lineup. Dawn patrol before the seabreeze builds is by far the best bet for clean conditions.
Average Spot conditions at Seal Point in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Seal Point 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 Seal Point for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Seal Point 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 Seal Point.