Conditions at Bude in December
December: The Deepest Winter Baseline
December is peak Atlantic storm season. Average swell sits near 7ft (2.1m) with a strong 10.6-second period, and the wave rose shows W (21.2%), WSW (19.9%), WNW (5.4%) and NW (3.3%) pushing in through the open west-facing exposure. Storms in the North Atlantic are frequent, intense and stacked up, giving Bude its most dependable swell of the year. Ideal offshore wind blows about 25% of the time; the problem is that the same westerly lows often bring their own onshore wind. When a strong high over Scandinavia sets up an easterly flow, the quality can be spectacular: glassy, heavy and well-holding. Conditions are cold - average air temperature 7.4°C, water temperature 10.9°C - and rainfall is at its yearly peak at 4.25mm/day. This is charging season for the hardy few. Expect XL days to sit alongside unsurfable storm fronts, with real gems hiding in between.
Average Spot conditions at Bude in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Bude 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 Bude for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Bude 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 Bude.