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Conditions at Ditch Plains in January
January: Cold Offshore Classics and Short-Period Punch
The new year arrives with the North Atlantic in full storm mode. The average swell height is 4.3ft (1.3m), and the average period of 6.5s keeps things in the average, punchy windswell range rather than long-period groundswell. The wave rose shows a healthy spread: SSW (11%), S (8.9%) and SSE (5.8%) provide the most usable swell direction, but a large chunk also comes from WSW, W and WNW, which are less favorable at this SSE-facing beach. The wind story is classic winter: W, WNW, NW and NNW combine for over 50% of the wind rose, but only 11% of the time is the flow ideal for surfing; NW/NNW winds are often strong, gusty cold-front blasts. Air temperatures average 2.1°C, water temperatures drop to 5.4°C, and precipitation averages 3.3mm/day. When a negative NAO pattern locks a trough over the East Coast, Ditch Plains can see fun S/SSW swell with clean NW offshore wind, but you have to fight the cold and the short-period chop.
Average Spot conditions at Ditch Plains in January
Swell history for January
Wind history for January
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Ditch Plains 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 Ditch Plains for your next trip in January.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Ditch Plains 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 Ditch Plains.