Conditions at Machico in December
December: Peak Potential and Peak Frustration
December is Machico's hardest month to read. Average swell height is 2.5m (8.2ft), period is 12.6s, and the E/ESE/SE/SSE swell window reaches its highest annual share at around 1.3% of the wave rose-still not much, but enough to give the bay its best shot at true, optimal-direction surf. The rest of the spectrum is dominated by NNW (19.9%) and NW (14.5%), with a persistent NE windsea component. The frustration is wind: ideal conditions only show up 29% of the time, the lowest of the year. Onshore E/SE winds are common, around 23%, and rain peaks at 1.80 mm/day. Air temperature is 17.7°C, water 19.6°C. The payoff is that when a high-pressure ridge sets in and the wind goes W/NW, Machico can see powerful, long-period swell pouring into the bay. It is a low-odds, high-reward month.
Average Spot conditions at Machico in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Machico 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 Machico for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Machico 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 Machico.