Conditions at Cap Gris-Nez in December
December: Winter's Peak, Slightly Messy
December ties January for the largest average swell height at 3ft (1.0m), with a period of 5.2s and an ideal surf frequency of 7%. The dominant swell directions are again the south-west family - SW 18.6%, WSW 13.6%, SSW 12.4% - which makes the north window only 23% of the rose. However, that window contains some of the most energetic pulses of the year: NE, NNE, N and NNW all show a meaningful share of 3-5ft (1-1.5m) and 5-6.5ft (1.5-2m) waves, along with a handful of 6.5-8ft (2-2.5m) readings. Wind is dominated by strong SW (11.7%) and WSW (11.6%) flow, with SSW (10.6%) also prominent; the offshore S/SSW/SW total sits near 30%. Water temp falls to 9.7°C, air to 6.5°C, and precipitation is high at 2.71mm/day. December surf is raw, cold and short-interval. When a deep low crosses the North Sea and the wind whips around to a light south-westerly, the reward is a thick, punchy, localized winter session.
Average Spot conditions at Cap Gris-Nez in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Cap Gris-Nez 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 Cap Gris-Nez for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Cap Gris-Nez 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 Cap Gris-Nez.