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Conditions at Cape Town in December
December: The Start of the Summer Grind
December brings the official start of summer and the holiday crowds. The ocean still averages 7-8ft (2.1-2.4m) with an 11.3s period, so there is no shortage of raw material. SW is the main swell source at 27.0%, followed by SSW (15.6%), S (9.9%) and WSW (7.4%) - a typical south-to-west groundswell mix. Wind is dominated by the SE quadrant: SSE 30.8%, SE 16.1% and S 16.0%. This creates excellent dawn patrol conditions, but by late morning the summer seabreeze can make the surface lumpy. Ideal wind is 28%. Air temps are warm at 19.1°C, water temperature is 14.9°C and rainfall is minimal at 0.42mm/day. Expect peak holiday crowds, strong offshore winds, and still-pumping long-period surf.
Average Spot conditions at Cape Town in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Cape Town 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 Cape Town for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Cape Town 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 Cape Town.