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Conditions at Little Wanganui in December
December: Early Summer Doldrums
December returns to the summer lull that defined January. Average swell height eases to 5-6ft (1.5-1.8m), the period shortens to 11.3s, and although the W/WSW direction still dominates - WSW 42.5%, W 23.8%, WNW 11.7% - the wave heights are concentrated in the smaller 0.5-1.5m range. That means fun, grovelling surf on the right banks, but not the power of the winter months.
Winds are the biggest letdown: ideal offshore conditions occur only 25 percent of the time, the lowest of the year. Onshore flows from W (13.4%), WNW (10.9%), NNW (11.5%), and NW (8.4%) rule, frequently blowing the small swells out or turning them into mushy, wind-blown lumps. Water temperature climbs to 15.9°C and air averages 14.2°C. The best chance for December quality comes from an early season Tasman low that slides southeast, bringing a clean W/NW swell and a morning easterly; if that happens, get wet. Otherwise, patience is the name of the game.
Average Spot conditions at Little Wanganui in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Little Wanganui 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 Little Wanganui for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Little Wanganui 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 Little Wanganui.