Conditions at Yerbabuena in January
January: Deep-Winter Atlantic Muscle
January is peak winter at Yerbabuena. The average swell clocks in around 4.6ft (1.4m) with a long 11.7s period, placing it firmly in the powerful long-period range. The swell rose is dominated by WNW energy at 48.7%, with W adding a further 15.4%; genuine S, SSW and SW swell makes up only a sliver of the readings. For a southwest-facing spot, this means the majority of the surf consists of refracted W/NW groundswell rather than direct hits, but when a deep low drops south and points true SSW/SW swell at the coast, the beach takes on a whole different level of shape and power.
Offshore winds are the most reliable of the year, with ideal conditions 45% of the time. The NNW component is particularly strong at 14.0%, alongside NW at 9.8%, keeping plenty of clean morning and post-frontal windows. Strong easterly flows, with E and ESE combined around 27%, spoil things a few days each month with cross-shore texture. Air temperatures sit at 14.7°C, water at 15.9°C, and precipitation averages 2.51mm/day, classic unsettled Atlantic winter for a cold, stormy lineup.
Average Spot conditions at Yerbabuena in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Yerbabuena 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 Yerbabuena for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Yerbabuena 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 Yerbabuena.