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Conditions at Playa Grande in December
December: North Pacific Winter Whispers and the Trades Return
December sees Playa Grande fully back in dry-season mode. Rainfall drops dramatically to 0.47mm/day, water temperature settles at 27.4°C, and the trade winds blow with renewed intensity: NE reaches 50.7% and ENE 29.2% of the wind distribution. That is a lot of cross-offshore to offshore flow, and with an ideal wind score of 75%, the surface is generally clean and workable.
The swell direction becomes more mixed in December. SSW is still the largest single source at 26.9%, with NE at 13.6%, S at 13.2%, SW at 10.3%, and NNE at 10.3%. The appearance of N, NNE, and NE energy is the first sign of North Pacific winter swells entering the picture, although the data still show only a small percentage in the optimal W/WNW/NW window. Average height remains a consistent 1.3m (4-5ft) and period 12.0s. December may lack the giant groundswell of higher-latitude spots, but it offers a fantastic combination of tropical warmth, dry skies, and dependable surf.
Average Spot conditions at Playa Grande in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Playa Grande during December. Based on historical data, there is a % probability of groundswell occurring this month. The chart below provides a detailed breakdown of the average wave height distribution, offering deep insights into the swell quality and surf potential you can expect at Playa Grande for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Playa Grande for December. Our analysis shows that favorable offshore or side-shore winds coincide with surfable swell approximately % of the time. The accompanying graph illustrates the average size distribution of waves during these optimal wind windows at Playa Grande.