Conditions at Scripps in December
December: Maximum Consistency and the Best Wind Window of the Year
December matches January for the highest ideal wind percentage of the year at 43%, and it delivers all the holiday-season swell a Scripps local could want. The average height is 1.0m (3.3ft), the period is a strong 12.6s, and the swell direction is beautifully distributed between W (54.6%) and WSW (28.9%), with W producing the majority of the larger 1.5-2.5m sets. Offshore ENE/E/ESE winds, often tied to Santa Ana patterns, combine with the long-period west groundswell to create lined-up, rippable waves. The onshore NW/WNW directions still appear around 11-12% of the time, but the clean windows are frequent enough to make December one of the most reliable months of the year. Air temps average 14.8°C, rainfall is 1.71mm/day, and water temp sits at 15.5°C.
Average Spot conditions at Scripps in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Scripps 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 Scripps for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Scripps 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 Scripps.