Conditions at Yport in December
December: Christmas Swell and Arctic Air
December is the statistical equal of January, with an average swell height of 1.5m (5ft) and a mean period of 7.8s. The wave rose is loaded with Atlantic energy: W 19.5%, WSW 18.5%, SW 8.7%, WNW 7.9%, NNW 5.2% and NW 3.6%. The wind pattern is winter-heavy, with SSW 13.3%, SW 12.6% and S 9.3% all well represented; however, ideal offshore wind blows only 13% of the time, because those winds are often too strong or quickly shift to W/NW after fronts.
Air temperature averages 6.9°C, water temperature is 9.8°C (49.6°F), and precipitation is at its annual peak of 3.28 mm/day. Days are short and cold, and the surf can be stormy. Yet when a deep North Atlantic low parks itself west of the British Isles and sends a long-period N/NW groundswell into the Channel under a S/SW offshore flow, Yport is as good as it gets. A 5/4mm hooded wetsuit, booties and gloves are essential. Christmas week often brings a noisy, powerful weather pattern - if you can stand the cold, the rewards can be substantial.
Average Spot conditions at Yport in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Yport 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 Yport for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Yport 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 Yport.