Conditions at Arenillas in December
December: Winter's Foundation Is Set
December is the start of the true winter peak. The average swell height is 6ft (1.9m) with a long period of 12.6s, and the wave rose shows a classic winter pattern: NW 35.8%, WNW 20.6%, NNW 11.9%. The size distribution is beautifully spread across the 1-2.5m range, with 11.4% of waves in the 1.5-2m category and 9.5% in the 2-2.5m category - plus a scattering of XL sets above 2.5m (NW 1.2%). The wind is at its wintertime best for Arenillas: ideal wind percentage is 42%, with SSW leading the rose at 16.1%, S at 11.4% and SW at 5.6%. This is the offshore dream team. The main downside is the cold: air temperatures average 10.8°C (min -0.1°C) and water temp drops to 13.8°C. Precipitation is high at 3.66mm/day, but when a low is spinning west of Portugal and the wind is offshore, the quality at Arenillas is as good as it gets.
Average Spot conditions at Arenillas in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Arenillas 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 Arenillas for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Arenillas 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 Arenillas.