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Conditions at The Island in December
December: Midsummer Grovels and Clean North-Wind Mornings
December locks in the summer pattern: 5ft (1.5m) average swell, 9.6s period - the shortest average of the year - and a swell rose that tilts back toward E/ENE. ENE (13.9%) and E (12.2%) are now major energy sources, while S (16.2%) and SSE (12.9%) still supply the best-shaped waves when they arrive. The average period below 10 seconds means the surf tends to be punchy and wind-driven rather than powerful and lined. On the plus side, winds are favorable 47% of the time, with NNW (14.8%) and NW (11.9%) pumping offshore for much of the day and NNE (8.4%) adding a clean offshore alternative. Water temps have rebounded to 17.6°C, air averages 17.5°C, and precipitation is low at 2.22mm/day. For a beach facing SSE, the formula is simple: score the N/NNW offshore mornings, hunt the rare S groundswell with 12s+ period, and have fun on the friendly summer waves.
Average Spot conditions at The Island in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at The Island 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 The Island for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at The Island 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 The Island.