Long Beach • Statistics for January

January: Depth of Winter Power

January is peak winter at Long Beach. The average wave height sits at 5ft (1.5m) with an average period of 7.1s, so the sandbars see a steady diet of punchy, short-to-average-period surf. The swell rose shows a healthy spread through the SSE-S-SSW window, which is exactly what this south-facing beach wants: SSE adds 6.4%, S adds 8.6%, and SSW leads the pack at 10.1%, with a decent chunk of 3-5ft (1-1.5m) and 5-6ft (1.5-2m) energy mixed in. E and ESE swells also contribute, and those are usually tied to Nor'easters forming off the Mid-Atlantic coast.

Winds are winter-classic: NW and WNW dominate at 14-15% each, with NNW at 10%, meaning offshore and cross-offshore flow is frequent. The wind is ideal for surfing 27 percent of the time. When a cold front passes and high pressure builds, Long Beach goes clean and lined with N/NW offshore breeze. The downside is the cold: air averages 1.1°C, water drops to 5.3°C, and precipitation runs 3.29 mm/day, so thick rubber and patience are part of the deal. The trade-off is some of the most consistent, powerful surf of the year.