Conditions at Faja da Areia in December
December: Prime Time
December is the crown jewel of the surf year at Faja da Areia. The winter storm track is fully engaged, delivering an average swell of 8ft (2.5m) at 12.6s. The swell direction is once again dominated by the north-northwest quadrant, with NNW at 19.9%, NW at 14.5%, and meaningful WNW energy at 6.7%. These long-period waves march directly into the beach, producing some of the cleanest, most powerful surf of the year.
What makes December special is the wind. Ideal offshore wind conditions are present 43% of the time - the highest of the year - with more opportunities for smooth WSW, SW and S winds. When the high pressure shifts and the storms line up, you get that magic combination of big swell and glassy surface. Water temperature is 19.5°C, air temperature averages 18.4°C, and precipitation is the highest of the year at 1.63 mm/day. If you only have one month to chase swell at this spot, make it December.
Average Spot conditions at Faja da Areia in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Faja da Areia 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 Faja da Areia for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Faja da Areia 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 Faja da Areia.