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Praia Azul • Statistics for December

Conditions at Praia Azul in December

December: Peak Season Glory

December is the crown jewel of the Praia Azul surf year. Average swell heights reach 8-9ft (2.4-2.6m), periods ride at 12.3s, and the ocean is loaded with long-period groundswell from a very active North Atlantic storm track. The dominant fetch is from the W/WNW/NW quadrant, which is exactly the window this west-facing beach loves, and the 2-2.5m and overhead categories dominate the wave-height distribution. Perhaps most impressive is the wind: ideal offshore flow sits at 48%, tying January for the highest of the year, thanks to cold continental highs that set up over Europe and drive reliable ENE/E/ESE winds down the coast. The trade-off is the weather: air temps average 10.6°C, water temps have dropped to 13.7°C, and winter storms bring significant rain. But for the surfer willing to put on the thick wetsuit, December offers the most consistent combination of size, period and clean offshore conditions on the whole calendar.

Average Spot conditions at Praia Azul in December

Swell history for December

0 - 2
2 - 3
3 - 5
5 - 6
6 - 8
> 8 ft

Wind history for December

0 - 6.2
6.3 - 12.4
12.4 - 18.6
18.6 - 24.9
24.9 - 31.1
> 31.1 mph

Swell quality

Analyze the groundswell consistency at Praia Azul 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 Praia Azul for your next trip in December.

Ground swell

Ground swell by size

Wind conditions

Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Praia Azul 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 Praia Azul.

Swell with good wind

Swell with good wind by size

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