Praia do Silveira • Statistics for December

December: Full-On Summer Trade Wind Slop

December locks in the summer pattern at Praia do Silveira. The average swell height settles at 1.2m (4ft), the period drops to 8.1s, and the wind is ideal only 19 percent of the time. Swell directions are exactly what you'd expect from a trade wind regime: E (25.1 percent), ESE (21.3 percent), ENE (20.7 percent), SE (14.7 percent), with SSE (10.4 percent) and S (4.0 percent) fading into the background. This is windswell, not groundswell-punchy and rideable on a log or mid-length, but lacking the period and power to make the standout peaks light up. The trade winds are the main villain: NNE (22.6 percent) and NE (14.1 percent) are the dominant wind directions, producing bumpy, cross/onshore conditions for most of the day. The rare offshore W/NW wind still happens after a weak frontal passage, but it is short-lived. With air temps at 22.6°C and water temperature at 24.0°C, the beach is lovely for swimming. For surfing, it's a low-energy, summer mode-grab a longboard and enjoy the small, clean moments.