Conditions at Fonte da Telha in December
December: Winter Mode Engaged
December brings deep winter to the Lisbon coastline. The average swell height is 1.9m (6ft), the average period is 12.6s, and the North Atlantic is producing some of its most powerful groundswell of the year. WNW (28.3%) and NW (26.1%) swells form the base, joined by a solid 10.8% of pure W and 5.0% WSW, plus 2.6% SW - a great mix for Fonte da Telha's west-southwest exposure. Offshore wind is ideal 33% of the time, one of the highest totals of the year, with ENE (9.9%), NE (7.9%), E (7.2%) and NNE (8.7%) all well represented. These are classic Portuguese winter conditions: cold fronts sweeping through, then strong land-breeze winds from the east cleaning up a long-period swell. Water temperature drops to 15.5°C, air averages 13.8°C, and wet weather at 2.67 mm/day keeps the region green. On the biggest days, Fonte da Telha can be absolutely firing.
Average Spot conditions at Fonte da Telha in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Fonte da Telha 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 Fonte da Telha for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Fonte da Telha 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 Fonte da Telha.