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Conditions at Elands Bay in December
December: Summer Setup and Smaller Windows
December marks the beginning of the low season at Elands Bay. Average swell height is 1.3m (4.3ft) and average period is 11.7s, but the distribution is dominated by 1-1.5m (3-5ft) waves, with a large chunk of 0.5-1m (1.5-3ft) grovelers. The swell direction is again overwhelmingly SW/WSW, at 57.2% and 37.1% respectively, while direct N/NW swell is essentially absent. These are fun, summer-style waves rather than powerful winter groundswell.
The biggest limiting factor is wind: ideal conditions are only 22%, the lowest of the year. Strong S/SSW/SW winds blow frequently, and the summer thermal cycle tends to add afternoon chop. Air temperatures average 19.5°C, water temperature has warmed to 16.5°C, and rain is very low at 0.26mm/day. The smart play is to look for early-morning sessions with lighter S/SSE flow and a small but clean WSW swell filling the bay.
Average Spot conditions at Elands Bay in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Elands Bay 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 Elands Bay for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Elands Bay 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 Elands Bay.