Conditions at Florence in December
December: Peak Season Delivers
December is the crown jewel of the Florence surf season. Average swell heights peak at around 10ft (3.1m) with an average period of 12.7s, and the storm machinery in the North Pacific runs at full capacity. The dominant directions - W (12.7%) and WNW (13.5%) - combine with WSW (5.3%) and NW (5.6%) to produce a wide, powerful swell window. The ocean is in constant motion, with XXL days common after strong lows pass through the Gulf of Alaska. This is big-wave territory.
The surf wind also reaches its yearly best: ideal conditions 42% of the time, the highest of any month. When cold fronts clear, east and southeast winds turn those giant WNW/W lines into glassy, hall-of-fame-quality surf. But December is not without its challenges: S and SSW winds blow a combined 24.2%, and the weather is the wettest of the year with 8.45 mm/day of rain. Air temps sit near 8.5°C and water temp is 10.6°C. It is cold, it is wet, and it is often enormous - but for the prepared surfer, December is Florence at its absolute best.
Average Spot conditions at Florence in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Florence 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 Florence for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Florence 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 Florence.