Conditions at Belmar in January
January: Midwinter Muscle
The new year opens with the North Atlantic in full winter mode. Average swell height sits at 4ft (1.2m) with an average period of 6.9s, which slots into the punchy, rideable category but often lacks the long-period polish you would want for a clean east coast line. The dominant swell directions are S (10%) and SSW (9%), while the favorable ENE/E/ESE/SE quadrant makes up only 24% of the spectrum. That means much of the energy arrives from angles that do not perfectly align with Belmar's ESE-facing shore. However, when a low-pressure system tracks up the coast, the ESE/SE component can increase quickly. Winds are favorable offshore from WSW/W/WNW/NW roughly 38% of the time, and the WNW/NW cluster is strong, with frequent 10-30kph flows. Water temp is a frigid 5.8°C and air temps average 2.8°C, so thick rubber is essential. Winter cold fronts and nor'easters are the main engines of surf this month.
Average Spot conditions at Belmar in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Belmar 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 Belmar for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Belmar 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 Belmar.