Top 12 of 32 surfing destinations scored for January · ERA5 reanalysis 2015-2024 · updated monthly
Cabarete and Jeffreys Bay drop out of the prime band after December. Of the 32 surfing destinations in the dataset, 27 score 68 or better in January and 19 reach the prime band above 80, which puts it mid-table for the year.
Pipeline leads on 97 at 2.5 m @ 12 s. Across the top ten the spread is Europe (4), North America (3), Africa (2), Oceania (1). The month belongs to the northern hemisphere: 8 of the ten best sit above the equator.
Ranked by score out of 100. Each strip shows all twelve months, so you can see whether January is the spot's peak or its shoulder.
1. Pipeline Oahu, USA
97
Prime
Monthly score for Pipeline, January to December. January is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
97
96
93
86
73
64
64
64
68
90
95
98
39%days with working wind
11 knmean daily max wind
2.5 mmean swell height
12 sswell period
25.2 °Csea temperature
22.6 °Cair temperature
Sep-Maybest run of months
January is effectively as good as it gets at Pipeline: 97, within 1 point of its best month (December, 98). Swell runs 2.5 m at 12 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 25.2 °C with air at 22.6 °C — boardshorts.
Monthly score for Margaret River, January to December. January is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
95
95
96
97
90
82
71
73
81
88
93
95
79%days with working wind
14 knmean daily max wind
2.1 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
21.4 °Csea temperature
20.1 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
January is effectively as good as it gets at Margaret River: 95, within 2 points of its best month (April, 97). Swell averages 2.1 m at 11 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 21.4 °C with air at 20.1 °C — a 3/2 shorty. It is one of the drier months, at 17 mm.
Monthly score for Ho'okipa, January to December. January is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
94
92
85
79
70
65
64
59
68
84
92
94
56%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
1.8 mmean swell height
12 sswell period
25.3 °Csea temperature
22.7 °Cair temperature
Sep-Maybest run of months
January is Ho'okipa's strongest month of the year for surfing, scoring 94. Swell runs 1.8 m at 12 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 25.3 °C with air at 22.7 °C — boardshorts.
Monthly score for Essaouira, January to December. January is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
93
94
90
89
78
75
70
73
83
91
94
95
51%days with working wind
12 knmean daily max wind
2.1 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
17.5 °Csea temperature
14.6 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
January is effectively as good as it gets at Essaouira: 93, within 2 points of its best month (December, 95). Swell runs 2.1 m at 11 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 17.5 °C with air at 14.6 °C — a 4/3 and boots.
Monthly score for Carcavelos, January to December. January is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
90
89
91
81
64
63
47
57
72
85
90
89
38%days with working wind
11 knmean daily max wind
2.0 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
15.3 °Csea temperature
11.9 °Cair temperature
Sep-Aprbest run of months
January is effectively as good as it gets at Carcavelos: 90, within 1 point of its best month (March, 91). Swell averages 2.0 m at 11 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 15.3 °C with air at 11.9 °C — a 4/3 and boots.
Monthly score for Mundaka, January to December. January is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
90
91
89
77
68
68
66
76
83
89
93
91
42%days with working wind
11 knmean daily max wind
2.2 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
13.6 °Csea temperature
9.4 °Cair temperature
Aug-Junbest run of months
January is effectively as good as it gets at Mundaka: 90, within 3 points of its best month (November, 93). Swell runs 2.2 m at 11 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 13.6 °C with air at 9.4 °C — a hooded winter suit.
Monthly score for Le Morne, January to December. January is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
89
89
90
92
95
97
94
95
94
93
92
87
57%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
1.6 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
28.4 °Csea temperature
27.0 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Le Morne works in January — 89 against a peak of 97 in June — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.6 m at 10 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 28.4 °C with air at 27.0 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions. It is also the wet end of the year: 243 mm against a monthly average of 81 mm.
Monthly score for Hossegor, January to December. January is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
89
88
90
85
75
69
70
78
86
91
90
92
38%days with working wind
11 knmean daily max wind
2.5 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
13.0 °Csea temperature
8.0 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
January is effectively as good as it gets at Hossegor: 89, within 3 points of its best month (December, 92). Swell averages 2.5 m at 11 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 13.0 °C with air at 8.0 °C — a hooded winter suit.
Monthly score for Santa Cruz, January to December. January is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
89
89
88
83
79
72
64
59
75
85
87
89
15%days with working wind
8 knmean daily max wind
2.1 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
13.0 °Csea temperature
11.4 °Cair temperature
Sep-Junbest run of months
January is Santa Cruz's strongest month of the year for surfing, scoring 89. Swell runs 2.1 m at 11 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 13.0 °C with air at 11.4 °C — a hooded winter suit. It is also the wet end of the year: 193 mm against a monthly average of 72 mm.
Monthly score for Peniche, January to December. January is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
88
88
86
86
78
76
70
76
84
91
91
90
56%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
2.7 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
15.6 °Csea temperature
11.9 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
January is effectively as good as it gets at Peniche: 88, within 3 points of its best month (October, 91). Swell runs 2.7 m at 11 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 15.6 °C with air at 11.9 °C — a 4/3 and boots.
Monthly score for Newquay, January to December. January is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
88
88
85
74
67
64
64
72
79
83
90
88
77%days with working wind
17 knmean daily max wind
2.3 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
10.1 °Csea temperature
7.7 °Cair temperature
Aug-Aprbest run of months
January is effectively as good as it gets at Newquay: 88, within 2 points of its best month (November, 90). Swell averages 2.3 m at 11 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 10.1 °C with air at 7.7 °C — a hooded winter suit.
Monthly score for Biarritz, January to December. January is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
87
89
87
74
68
65
63
72
77
85
91
89
37%days with working wind
11 knmean daily max wind
2.0 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
12.7 °Csea temperature
8.0 °Cair temperature
Aug-Maybest run of months
Biarritz works in January — 87 against a peak of 91 in November — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 2.0 m at 11 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 12.7 °C with air at 8.0 °C — a hooded winter suit.
Pipeline, USA scores highest in January at 97/100, based on ten years of ERA5 climatology scored for surfing. Its best run of months is Sep-May.
Where can I surf in warm water in January?
Uluwatu has the warmest sea among the spots that also score well in January — 29.4 °C, which is boardshorts, and shade between sessions, on a score of 86.
Is January a good month to surf?
Yes — 19 destinations in the dataset reach the prime band (80+) in January, so you have real choice rather than one option.
These scores are climatology, not a forecast. They are computed from ten years of
ERA5 reanalysis (2015-2024) and answer which month and which spot to book — not
whether this Saturday is on. For live conditions, open the
interactive map.