Conditions at Unstad in December
December: Winter at Full Tilt
December is winter at full tilt. The average swell height is 1.8m (6ft) and the period is 9.8s, putting Unstad squarely in the firing line of powerful North Atlantic groundswells. The preferred W through NNW sector supplies roughly 29% of the total swell, with NNW at 10.6% and NW at 6.9%. More importantly, the 1.5-2.5m and over-2.5m classes occupy a large fraction of the wave rose, meaning Unstad can go from heavy to seriously XXL within 24 hours as a deep low exits the Norwegian Sea.
SE and SSE winds are the most common offshore directions, and a crisp, cold offshore flow under clear skies can produce pumping, challenging waves. Water temperature is 7.4°C, air temperatures average 2.7°C, and precipitation is 3.83 mm/day. Be ready for polar lows, short daylight, and the kind of cold that sharpens the senses. This is big-wave country, and December does not hand out friendly days.
Average Spot conditions at Unstad in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Unstad 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 Unstad for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Unstad 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 Unstad.