Conditions at Inch Reef in December
December: Peak Season Arrives
December delivers the full winter package. Average wave height is 5.9ft (1.8m) and average period is 12.3 seconds, placing it statistically alongside January and February as the biggest and deepest month of the year. The swell rose shows W (26%), WNW (23%) and WSW (13%) doing most of the heavy lifting, with healthy amounts in the 5-8ft (1.5-2.5m) range and occasional bigger systems adding extra size. It is a classic heavy-water month.
Wind direction is split between the pre-frontal southerly winds-SSW (10%), SW (11%), W (9%) and S (9%)-and the cold northwesterly/northerly airstreams that follow. Ideal wind time is only 22 percent, but those windows are often the most memorable: 6ft (1.8m) plus swell, cold offshore north wind, and the reef throwing clean, hollow lines. Air temperatures average 7.7°C, water temperature is 9.0°C, and precipitation is high at around 5.2mm/day. This is the peak of the Irish surf calendar.
Average Spot conditions at Inch Reef in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Inch Reef 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 Inch Reef for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Inch Reef 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 Inch Reef.