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Conditions at Playa Carmen in December
December: The Dry Season Standard
December is the benchmark month at Playa Carmen. The average surf height eases to 3-4ft (1.1m) and the period holds at 12.5s, producing classic long-period, manageable groundswell. SSW dominates with 84.8% of direction share, SW adds 12.0%, and WSW contributes 1.5%. Nearly all waves are in the 2-5ft (0.5-1.5m) range, making it ideal for a high-performance shortboard or a step-up longboard session.
The wind is the real hero: ideal offshore conditions occur 61% of the time, the highest all year. NNE is again the standout at 20.5%, NE adds 9.3%, and N contributes 7.6%, while rainfall collapses to 2.16 mm/day. Air temperature is 27.3°C and water temperature is 28.2°C. December is the cleanest, most consistent month for scoring Playa Carmen at its glassy, user-friendly best.
Average Spot conditions at Playa Carmen in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Playa Carmen 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 Playa Carmen for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Playa Carmen 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 Playa Carmen.