Conditions at Praia do CDS in December
December: Peak Winter Returns
December closes the year with a serious punch. Average swell height is 6ft (1.9m), average period 12.6 seconds, and the wave rose shows a broad, powerful distribution: WNW 28 percent, NW 26 percent, W 11 percent, with a notable WSW component at 5 percent. The biggest winter swells of the season often arrive in December, and the 8ft+ (2.5m+) category appears more regularly than in many other months.
Wind, however, is the great equalizer. December has the lowest ideal wind percentage of the year at 20 percent, with a complex mix of ENE onshore flow at 11 percent, NNW cross-shore at 13 percent, and a strong north/northeast component. The best surf comes when a high pressure cell over Spain establishes a tight offshore southwest gradient as a low approaches from the Atlantic. Air temp is 13.8°C, water 15.5°C, and precipitation is high at 2.67mm/day. Wrap warm, pick the tide, and wait for the wind to swing - the reward can be epic.
Average Spot conditions at Praia do CDS in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Praia do CDS 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 do CDS for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Praia do CDS 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 do CDS.