Puerto Escondido • Statistics for December

December: Winter Smaller but Often Clean

December rounds out the year with the smallest average swell height of the year at around 3.5ft (1.1m), but the average period remains at 13.0 seconds, preserving that long-period feel. SSW is still the top swell direction at 42.9 percent, with S adding 20.9 percent and SW adding 9.6 percent. There is also a bit more spread through the SSE, SE and ESE directions than in summer, so not all the waves will hit the beach with full power. Most energy sits in the 0.5-1.5m range, offering fun, rippable waves rather than heavy, open faces.

Wind is a positive in December, with ideal offshore flow 36 percent of the time. NNW and NW dominate the wind rose at 18.9 and 17.3 percent respectively, while N and NNE add another 8.3 percent, so clean conditions are fairly common. The dry season is fully established with only 0.11 mm/day of precipitation, air temps average 21.5°C, and water temp sits at 27.8°C. December offers a quieter, cleaner version of Puerto Escondido, ideal for surfers who prefer quality over XL size.