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Conditions at The Dunes in December
December: Summer Ceiling
December closes out the year at the bottom of the seasonal cycle. Average swell height sits at 2.3m (7.5ft) with an 11.3s period - still surfable, but far from the winter heavies. The wave rose is dominated by SW at 27.0 percent and SSW at 15.6 percent, while the favorable WSW/W/WNW/NW window is only about 8.7 percent. With so much swells from the S/SSW/SW quadrant, the WNW-facing nature of The Dunes means much of that energy is poorly aligned.
The ideal wind percentage is just 9 percent, and SSE winds lead the way at 32.2 percent, with S at 16.1 percent and SE at 14.8 percent. Strong SSE summer wind can make conditions bumpy, although a morning ESE/SE offshore with a small WSW swell can still produce rideable, rippable waves. Water temp is 17.8C, air temps average 19.1C, and rainfall is low. December is a month for fun, smaller-wave surfing at The Dunes, not for epic winter heavies.
Average Spot conditions at The Dunes in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at The Dunes 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 The Dunes for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at The Dunes 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 The Dunes.