Conditions at Pico da Mota in December
December: Prime Time - Big Swells and the Highest Clean-Wind Odds
December is arguably the best month at Pico da Mota. Average swell height is 8.9ft (2.7m), period holds at 12.8s, and the ideal wind percentage reaches its annual maximum of 31%. The wave rose is dominated by the NW quadrant: WNW 13.2%, NW 18.6% and NNW 10.4%, with W adding 5.5%; the heights cluster in the 5-8ft (1.5-2.5m) range and a healthy dose of XXL sets exceeds 8ft (2.5m). The wind field is more variable than in summer, but the valuable SW/WSW/S/SSW offshore sectors are well represented, and December provides the best chance of scoring clean overhead-to-double-overhead waves before an approaching front. Water temp is 15.0°C, air averages 13.0°C, and precipitation is high at 2.93 mm/day. If you want big, powerful, grinding surf on a beautiful northwest-facing Portuguese beach, December is the month to be there.
Average Spot conditions at Pico da Mota in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Pico da Mota 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 Pico da Mota for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Pico da Mota 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 Pico da Mota.