Conditions at Altura in December
December: Midwinter Peak and Maximum Reliability
December is the statistical peak of the surf year at Altura. Average swell height reaches 2-3ft (0.9m), the highest of any month, and mean period is a solid 7.7s. The western background is active with WSW 15.9 percent, W 13.0 percent and SW 11.8 percent, while the direct SE/S window still supplies SE 9.3 percent, SSE 4.6 percent, S 3.8 percent and SSW 4.5 percent. It is the combination of size, period and directional spread that makes December so reliable. Wind is favorable more often: NNW flow is 23.5 percent, NW 7.9 percent, and ideal conditions occur 41 percent of the time. Water temperature cools to 15.9C, air averages 14.4C, and rain is the highest of the year at 2.88 mm/day. Storm systems tracking toward the Iberian Peninsula bring consistent, punchy groundswell, and with N/NW winds Altura can genuinely fire.
Average Spot conditions at Altura in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Altura 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 Altura for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Altura 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 Altura.