Conditions at Luz in December
December: The Crown Jewel of Southern Swell
December is statistically the best month on paper for Luz's specific swell window. Average swell height is 8ft (2.4m), period a healthy 12.6s, and the combined SE/SSE/S/SSW direction reaches its annual peak of 2.8%. It's not a huge number, but in a bay that feeds on south-angled energy, it represents the best chance of the year to find real, rideable waves. The northern quadrant - NW (23.7%), WNW (15.1%), and NNW (10.9%) - still dominates the open ocean, but when the synoptic pattern takes a negative NAO phase, low pressures swing south and hurl S/SW swell into the Gulf of Cadiz. Winds are the catch: the offshore N/NNE/NW/NNW quadrant drops to 36.3% and the ideal wind score to 33%, so you'll need to pick your moments between fronts. Temperatures are cool (air 14.9°C, water 16.6°C) and rain frequent (2.97 mm/day), but the payoff is the heaviest, longest waves of the year at this west-sheltered stretch of coast.
Average Spot conditions at Luz in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Luz 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 Luz for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Luz 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 Luz.