Conditions at Mareta in December
December: Peak Winter Swell and the Hunt for the Perfect Angle
December is statistically the peak of the North Atlantic swell calendar, with an average 8ft (2.4m) and 12.6s period. The swell direction distribution is broad: NW (23.7%), WNW (15.1%), NNW (10.9%), W (5.2%), and even a few ESE (1.3%) and SSE (0.6%) pulses. That ESE/SE energy is rare but precious for Mareta, because it suits the south-facing geometry perfectly. The wind picture is more mixed than November: offshore N/NNW/NNE/NW winds total around 36%, but easterly and SE/SSE winds become more active and can kill the quality; the ideal wind score drops to 25%. With water temp at 16.6°C, air at 14.9°C, and precipitation at 2.97mm/day, December demands thick rubber and sharp attention to the wind forecast. When the angles align, it can be the heaviest, most powerful surf of the year.
Average Spot conditions at Mareta in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Mareta 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 Mareta for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Mareta 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 Mareta.