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Conditions at Playa Nosara in December
December: Dry Season Goldilocks
December marks the return of the dry season and the beginning of the winter mix. Average height is 1.3m with a period of 11.7 seconds, and the wave rose is far more scattered than in rainy-season months. SSW and SW still provide about half the energy at 31.1% and 18.7%, but W, WNW, NW and NNW pulses from the North Pacific make a comeback, combining for roughly 22%. This can mean inconsistent days, but also a wider variety of waves and directions to choose from.
The wind is the main draw. The Papagayo trades rebuild strongly: NE blows 44.5% of the time, with NNE and ENE adding another 23.6%. Ideal conditions occur 59% of the time, and the offshore flow is most reliable in the mornings. Surfaces are clean and glassy, and even at 4ft (1.3m) the waves peel beautifully down the beach. Just bring a slightly bigger board to make the most of the softer, shorter-period swell.
Rain is back down to 0.70mm/day and water temperature is 27.9°C, making December an ideal escape from colder climates. It is a time of high-quality, clean surf with occasional windows of solid SSW/SW groundswell - a fine way to end the year.
Average Spot conditions at Playa Nosara in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Playa Nosara 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 Nosara for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Playa Nosara 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 Nosara.