Conditions at Zurriola in December
December: The Winter Engine at Full Power
December is all about power and reliability. Average swell sits at a robust 2.0m (6-7ft), the average wave period is 12.4s, and the ideal wind percentage reaches its annual peak of 46 percent - the best wind-to-swell ratio of the whole year. S winds dominate at 23.8 percent, SSW accounts for 10.4, and when SW (4.5) and WSW (4.3) are added, you have a month that cleans up nearly every swell that arrives. The wave directions stay true to the northwest: NW at 28.1, WNW at 24.4, NNW at 8.5, with a slightly larger W component (4.4) that broadens the surf exposure. In short, December is the month when the North Atlantic winter engine runs at full power, aimed directly at the Basque coast. The air is cold at 9.9°C on average and water temps have dropped to 14.2°C, so full winter kit is required. Yet that is a small price to pay for what is statistically the most consistent combination of big swell and offshore wind anywhere in the Zurriola calendar.
Average Spot conditions at Zurriola in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Zurriola 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 Zurriola for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Zurriola 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 Zurriola.