- Home
- ...South America
Peru- Penascal
Conditions at Penascal in December
December: Summer Builds With Glassy Potential
December is the gateway to the best surf windows of the year. The average swell height settles at 1.5m (5ft), the period is 12.8s, and the swell direction is ideal: SSW (87.7%) plus SW (10.0%) and a trace of WSW (0.4%). The height distribution is lighter than winter, with 56.5% in the 1-1.5m (3.3-5ft) range, but the long period ensures plenty of push. Wind conditions are more promising overall: although ideal offshore wind is 0%, the wind rose shows a clear increase in light 0-10kph southerly breezes. Still, SSW (45.7%) and S (41.9%) dominate, so most surf will have some cross/onshore texture. Sea surface temperature warms to 17.4°C and air temps climb to 19.3°C. As summer progresses, those offshore northeasterly morning drafts become more likely, making December a month of building potential.
Average Spot conditions at Penascal in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Penascal 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 Penascal for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Penascal 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 Penascal.