Conditions at Arrifana in December
December: Winter Is Here in Full Force
December delivers the biggest average swells of the year at Arrifana: 2.4m (8ft) with a powerful 12.6s period. The swell mix is a true winter blend - NW (23.7%), WNW (15.1%) and NNW (10.9%), plus a meaningful W component at 5.2%. But the standout is the wind: ideal offshore conditions 52% of the time, with the E/ENE/NE/NNE quadrants very well represented and the dominant NNW flow (14.2%) much weaker than summer. This creates plenty of clean, hollow days. Air temps drop to 12.2C and water to 16.1C, so late-autumn storms and persistent rain (2.64mm/day) demand a solid wetsuit. If there is a swell window late in December, it is usually worth cancelling plans for.
Average Spot conditions at Arrifana in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Arrifana 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 Arrifana for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Arrifana 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 Arrifana.