Conditions at Playa de Famara in January
January: Deep-Winter Groundswell and Trade-Wind Battle
January is prime time for powerful North Atlantic groundswell. The average wave height sits at 1.6m (5.2ft) with a long-period 12.7s, and the direction rose is loaded with NNW swell at 30%, NNE at 19.7%, N at 13.7% and NW at 12.9%. That means the most consistent swell windows for Famara are open and firing. The limiting factor is the wind: ideal offshore conditions arrive only 12 percent of the time. NE wind dominates at 23.4%, with NNE close behind at 18.9%, creating persistent cross-onshore texture. However, when a high-pressure system settles over the mainland and pulls in light S to SW airflow, the same swell becomes clean, hollow and very rippable. Water temperature sits at 18.7°C, air temperatures average 17.6°C, and rainfall is moderate at 0.45mm/day, so pack the rubber and keep an eye on dawn wind windows.
Average Spot conditions at Playa de Famara in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Playa de Famara 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 Playa de Famara for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Playa de Famara 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 Playa de Famara.