Conditions at Praia do Norte in December
December: Winter Arrives in Earnest
December marks the return of peak winter conditions at Praia do Norte. The average swell height is 2.3m (7-8ft) and the average period is 12.7 seconds, producing powerful, organised groundswell on a regular basis. Swell direction is again dominated by the W/NW window, with NW at 24.1%, WNW at 20.6%, W at 8.0%, and NNW at 7.0%. The Atlantic storm track is fully active and the stretch of coast between Nazaré and the north becomes a magnet for heavy Atlantic swell.
Interestingly, December has the highest ideal wind percentage of the year at 48%. The wind rose shows strong contributions from ESE at 13.7% and E at 8.1%, alongside the more typical NNW at 13.1%. This means more clean, offshore-orientated conditions around the swells. Water temperature cools to 14.8°C, air temperatures average 13.0°C, and wet winter weather is common with 2.93 mm/day of precipitation. December is a world-class month for big-wave hunting at Praia do Norte.
Average Spot conditions at Praia do Norte in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Praia do Norte 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 do Norte for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Praia do Norte 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 do Norte.