Conditions at Praia das Macas in December
December: The Winter Prize
December is peak winter surf at Praia das Macas. Average swell height hits 2.5m (8.2ft) with a powerful period of 12.7s, and the swell distribution is strongly favorable: NW (21.2%), WNW (15.2%), NNW (11.3%) and W (6.1%) dominate. The North Atlantic storm track is at its most active, delivering consistent, long-period groundswell that breaks with real authority on the sand and reef. The average height is boosted by the frequent 2-2.5m (6.5-8ft) range, and XXL days above 2.5m (8ft) are common.
Importantly, December has the highest ideal wind percentage of the year at 23%. The offshore directions - SSW (5.1%), SW (5.1%), WSW (4.8%) and W (4.0%) - are more frequent, giving surfers real opportunities for clean, epic conditions. NNW wind (11.9%) is much less dominant than in summer, so the quality-to-quantity ratio is excellent. Water temperature cools to 15.4°C, air averages 12.3°C (0.9-19.6°C), and rainfall is significant at 2.69mm/day. This is the month to circle on the calendar.
Average Spot conditions at Praia das Macas in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Praia das Macas 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 Praia das Macas for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Praia das Macas 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 Praia das Macas.