Conditions at Cobden in December
December: Summer Slump and Westerly Frontal Mess
December closes out the year with the lowest average period of the calendar - 11.0s - and a summer swell height of 1.7m (5-6ft). The swell direction is still favorable, with W at 29%, WNW 13%, NW 6%, and NNW 5% combining for over 53% of the total wave energy. But the wind is the main issue: ideal offshore flow is only 30% of the time, while onshore W-WNW-NW-NNW winds rule 45% of the time. The northwesterly sea breezes and passing fronts constantly groom the surface into a bumpy, short-period mess. When an ESE offshore happens to coincide with a fading W groundswell, there are still fun, rippable 1-1.5m (3-5ft) waves to be found - just don't expect winter consistency. Water temp is 15.7°C, air averages 13.4°C, and precipitation is 5.95mm/day.
Average Spot conditions at Cobden in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Cobden 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 Cobden for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Cobden 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 Cobden.