- Home
- ...Europe
United Kingdom- Portrush
Conditions at Portrush in January
January: Midwinter Muscle
The North Atlantic is at full tilt in January. Average swells push into the 7-8ft (2.1-2.4m) zone with a powerful 11.6s period, and the directional data shows just how dominant the west-northwest window is: W swell accounts for nearly 18% of readings and WNW another 13.6%, with WSW adding 8.3%. That is exactly the right direction for Portrush. The problem is the wind. S, SSW and SW winds group together to form the most common wind quadrant, while true ideal offshore E/ESE/SE/SSE windows only show up a small 8% of the time. When a low clears and the wind clocks offshore, these midwinter pulses are heavy, hollow and thumping; when the W/NW wind howls, it becomes a battle for even one clean shoulder.
Air temperatures hover around 4.7°C with freezing lows near -2.8°C, water temp is a cold 8.2°C, and rain is frequent at 3.51 mm/day. This is proper North Atlantic winter surfing - bring thick rubber, a step-up board and plenty of patience.
Average Spot conditions at Portrush in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Portrush 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 Portrush for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Portrush 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 Portrush.