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Port Alfred - surf spot statistics
Port Alfred seasonal overview
Port Alfred generally offers consistent surf year-round, with the best conditions occurring from May to August. During these months, ground swell dominance rises above 80%, providing clean, powerful waves with minimal wind interference. The mean swell size peaks at 2.9m in August, while May through July also see heights averaging 2.6m–2.8m. Wind conditions improve slightly in this period, with good wind days increasing to 23–25%—still not ideal, but better than the rest of the year. Autumn (April) and early spring (September) are decent transitional windows, with ground swell still strong (73–76%) and slightly more favorable winds than summer. However, from October to March, conditions decline due to higher wind swell influence (32–42%) and consistently poor wind direction (87–90% bad). While summer swells are smaller (2.3m–2.5m), they’re more likely to be choppy due to onshore winds. For surfers prioritizing quality over frequency, winter (May–August) is the clear choice, offering larger, cleaner waves despite lingering wind challenges. Advanced riders will find the biggest and most powerful swels in late winter (July–August), though persistent crosswinds require patience for optimal sessions.
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Conditions at Port Alfred in January
January in Port Alfred offers solid surf conditions with an average swell height of 2.3m and a strong 11.0s period, providing powerful, well-spaced waves. The primary swell direction is from the SW (27.5% of waves over 2m), with significant contributions from SSW and S, ensuring consistent, quality waves. However, the wind is less favorable, with only 10% of conditions being ideal for surfing. ENE and E winds dominate, often blowing at 20-40kph (30-40% of the time), creating cross-onshore or onshore chop that can disrupt wave quality. Cleaner sessions are likelier early morning before winds pick up. The swell distribution shows 36% of waves in the 2-2.5m range and 2% over 2.5m—excellent for experienced surfers but challenging for beginners. Expect intermittent mid-period ENE/SE swells (1.5-2m) mixed with dominant SW groundswells. Pack a step-up board; winds may require patience, but the swell energy delivers.
Average Spot conditions at Port Alfred in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Port Alfred 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 Port Alfred for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Port Alfred 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 Port Alfred.