Conditions at Les Sables d'Or in December
December: Clean Winter Gold
December is arguably the peak month at Les Sables d'Or. Average swell height is 5-6ft (1.7m), the average period is a powerful 12.6s, and the offshore wind share hits its annual maximum at 49 percent - the best chance of the year for clean, groomed, long-period surf. The swell rose is classic winter: WNW (39.6 percent), NW (32.4 percent) and NNW (5.0 percent) deliver the ideal angles, with a touch of W (3.8 percent) for variety. Around a third of all waves are in the 5-8ft (1.5-2.5m) range, and XXL days are not uncommon when the Atlantic storms align.
The wind regime is what sets December apart. The combination of strong low-pressure tracks and frequent high-pressure ridges over continental Europe creates regular E/ESE/SE/SSE wind windows, leaving the NW-facing beach clean and hollow. Air temperatures average 7.7°C, sea surface temperature is a chilly 13.9°C, and rainfall is significant at 3.6mm/day. If you can handle the cold, December is the month with the best ratio of wave quality to clean conditions all year.
Average Spot conditions at Les Sables d'Or in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Les Sables d'Or 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 Les Sables d'Or for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Les Sables d'Or 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 Les Sables d'Or.