Conditions at Cova da Alfarroba in December
December: Big Swells, Better Wind Odds
December delivers the full winter package. Average swell height climbs to 9ft (2.7m) and the period stretches to 12.8 seconds, generating powerful, long-period groundswell across the Portuguese coast. The swell direction at Cova da Alfarroba is dominated by NW (19%), WNW (13%), and NNW (10%), with a notable W (6%) and WSW (3%) influence. This month also posts the highest ideal wind percentage of the year at 27%, as southerly and southwesterly pre-frontal flows offer more offshore windows. That said, the wind rose is more variable than mid-winter months - E (9%) and ESE (10%) are frequent, and NNW (12%) still looms. Air temperature drops to 13.0°C, water temp to 15.0°C, and rainfall sits at 2.93mm/day. December is prime time for heavy, pumping surf - if you can find a window with south wind, expect the beach to be firing.
Average Spot conditions at Cova da Alfarroba in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Cova da Alfarroba 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 Cova da Alfarroba for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Cova da Alfarroba 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 Cova da Alfarroba.