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Best Time to Ride · Surfing · January · North America

Where to go surfing in North America in January

The 20 best surfing spots in North America in January, ranked by wave height.

Find the best time to goTap a spot to see when to go: wind, waves, water temperature, sun and rain in every month, from years of weather statistics.

Updated October 2026 · weather data 2022–2026

In short

Best for surfing in North America in January: Oahu – Pipeline (United States), Kauai – Hanalei Bay (United States) & Maui – Honolua Bay (United States).
Water at the top 10: 9–28°C.
Warm enough for no wetsuit: Oahu – Pipeline, Maui – Honolua Bay & Cabarete.
For beginners: Morro Bay, Santa Cruz – Cowell's & Tofino – Long Beach.

By continent

Worldwide Africa Asia Europe North America Oceania South America

Oahu – PipelineUnited States · water 25°C · air 26°C2.8 m wavesAdvanced only · no wetsuit · ✈ HNL 41 km 2

Kauai – Hanalei BayUnited States · water 25°C · air 25°C2.9 m wavesIntermediate and up · no wetsuit · ✈ LIH 32 km 3

Maui – Honolua BayUnited States · water 25°C · air 26°C1.9 m wavesAdvanced only · no wetsuit · ✈ JHM 7 km 4

CabareteDominican Republic · water 27°C · air 28°C1.6 m wavesIntermediate and up · no wetsuit · ✈ POP 17 km 5

Morro BayUnited States · water 14°C · air 17°C2 m wavesBeginner-friendly · 5/4 wetsuit and boots · ✈ SBP 25 km 6

Santa Cruz – Cowell'sUnited States · water 13°C · air 16°C2.4 m wavesBeginner-friendly · 5/4 wetsuit and boots · ✈ MRY 45 km 7

Mavericks – Half Moon BayUnited States · water 13°C · air 15°C2 m wavesAdvanced only · 5/4 wetsuit and boots · ✈ SFO 18 km 8

Puerto Escondido – ZicatelaMexico · water 28°C · air 32°C1.2 m wavesAdvanced only · no wetsuit · ✈ PXM 4 km 9

Tofino – Long BeachCanada · water 9°C · air 8°C2.7 m wavesBeginner-friendly · 6/5 wetsuit, hood, boots and gloves · ✈ YAZ 1 km 10

Westport – WashingtonUnited States · water 9°C · air 10°C3 m wavesIntermediate and up · 6/5 wetsuit, hood, boots and gloves · ✈ OLM 92 km 11

Short Sands – OregonUnited States · water 10°C · air 11°C2.5 m wavesBeginner-friendly · 5/4 wetsuit, hood, boots and gloves · ✈ PDX 108 km 12

SayulitaMexico · air 26°C1.6 m wavesBeginner-friendly · ✈ PVR 29 km 13

Cocoa BeachUnited States · water 19°C · air 21°C1 m wavesBeginner-friendly · 3/2 wetsuit · ✈ MLB 30 km 14

Blacks Beach – La JollaUnited States · water 15°C · air 18°C1.1 m wavesAdvanced only · 5/4 wetsuit and boots · ✈ SAN 18 km 15

Wrightsville BeachUnited States · water 12°C · air 12°C1.3 m wavesBeginner-friendly · 5/4 wetsuit, hood, boots and gloves · ✈ ILM 13 km 16

Folly Beach – The WashoutUnited States · water 12°C · air 14°C1.3 m wavesBeginner-friendly · 5/4 wetsuit, hood, boots and gloves · ✈ CHS 28 km 17

Rockaway Beach – New YorkUnited States · water 5°C · air 4°C1.2 m wavesBeginner-friendly · 6/5 wetsuit, hood, boots and gloves · ✈ JFK 7 km 18

Trestles – San ClementeUnited States · water 15°C · air 18°C1.1 m wavesIntermediate and up · 5/4 wetsuit and boots · ✈ CLD 40 km 19

Huntington BeachUnited States · water 15°C · air 18°C0.9 m wavesBeginner-friendly · 5/4 wetsuit and boots · ✈ SNA 13 km 20

Malibu – Surfrider BeachUnited States · water 15°C · air 19°C0.9 m wavesBeginner-friendly · 5/4 wetsuit and boots · ✈ LAX 27 km

The 20 spots with the best surfing conditions in January, from years of weather data, ranked by wave height and, a little, warm water. Wave height: average daily maximum.

Questions

Where is the best surfing in North America in January?

Oahu – Pipeline (United States): 2.8 m waves; Kauai – Hanalei Bay (United States): 2.9 m waves; Maui – Honolua Bay (United States): 1.9 m waves.

Where is the water warm in January?

Puerto Escondido – Zicatela: 28°C, no wetsuit; Cabarete: 27°C, no wetsuit; Maui – Honolua Bay: 25°C, no wetsuit.

Where can beginners go surfing in January?

Good spots for beginners this month: Morro Bay, Santa Cruz – Cowell's & Tofino – Long Beach.

Other months

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