Conditions at Verdicio in January
January: Midwinter Muscle
January is Verdicio in full winter mode. The average swell is 1.7m (5.6ft) with a 12.7s period, meaning plenty of long-period groundswell in the water. The swell rose is dominated by the NW quadrant: NW accounts for 42.8%, NNW for 14.4% and WNW for 15.8%, putting around 73% of all swell in the ideal N/W/NW window. The bulk of that energy arrives between 1m and 2.5m (3-8ft), with a notable 2-2.5m (6.5-8ft) peak across the NW direction at 9.3%. When Verdicio lines up under a big Atlantic low, expect head-high to well-overhead waves with real power.
Wind is the wildcard. The ideal offshore flow from the S/SW/WSW sector is present about 31% of the time, often after frontal passages. The prevailing E and WSW components can be tricky: east winds are not the magic offshore direction here, and WNW/NW/NNW winds are straight onshore and will chop up the surface. Air temperatures average just 9.0°C, rain makes regular appearances at 3.05 mm/day, and the water sits at 13.3°C, so a solid winter wetsuit and booties are part of the program.
Average Spot conditions at Verdicio in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Verdicio 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 Verdicio for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Verdicio 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 Verdicio.