Tuncurry Breakwall • Statistics for December

December: Summer Stoke and Onshore Chop

December rounds out the year with the classic Tuncurry summer conundrum: great swell direction, poor wind. Average swell height is the lowest of the year at 5.2ft (1.6m), with waves concentrated in the 3-5ft (1-1.5m) range, and the period drops to 8.3s, but the NNE-NE-ENE-E window is at its richest-NE (17.1), ENE (11.8), E (11.6) and NNE (3.6) total 44.1 percent. The problem is that NNE and NE winds combine for 34.7 percent, and ideal offshore winds are only 14.5 percent. The rare offshore windows can be superb, especially during a late-afternoon SW change, but most days you'll be battling a bumpy NE sea breeze. Water temp is 22.0°C, air averages 22.4°C, and with summer storms come 3.69 mm/day of rain. December is a fun, tropical-feel surf month, but generally not for quality-hunt the morning glass or the SW changes.