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Vila Franca do Campo • Statistics for December

Conditions at Vila Franca do Campo in December

December: The Peak of Power, for Those Who Wait

December delivers the biggest averages of the year - around 9ft (2.8m) of open-ocean swell, with periods of 12.1s. The Atlantic is in full winter fury. The swell rose is still dominated by NNW (11.4%), NW (9.2%), WNW (5.2%) and W (4.1%), but the SE/SSE/S/SSW family is at its most generous for the year, totaling about 3.5% of the swell distribution; the broader south/southwest quadrant pushes past 5% when the adjacent SW energy is added. Those are the days that make this spot special: long-period southern groundswell rolling into the bay, groomed by a northwest offshore wind. The problem is that wind is also at its worst, with SW (9.8%), WSW (9.1%), SSW (8.1%) and S (7.2%) frequently wrecking the surface, while ideal offshore wind sits at just 21%. Water temp is 17.7°C, air averages 16.8°C, and December is the wettest month with 3.16mm/day. It's not easy, but deep-winter December offers the ultimate reward for patient surfers.

Average Spot conditions at Vila Franca do Campo in December

Swell history for December

0 - 2
2 - 3
3 - 5
5 - 6
6 - 8
> 8 ft

Wind history for December

0 - 6.2
6.3 - 12.4
12.4 - 18.6
18.6 - 24.9
24.9 - 31.1
> 31.1 mph

Swell quality

Analyze the groundswell consistency at Vila Franca do Campo 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 Vila Franca do Campo for your next trip in December.

Ground swell

Ground swell by size

Wind conditions

Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Vila Franca do Campo 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 Vila Franca do Campo.

Swell with good wind

Swell with good wind by size

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