Conditions at El Sardinero in December
December: Year-End Power
December delivers the biggest, most consistent swells of the year. Average height is 6.6ft (2.0m), average period is 12.5s, and ideal wind returns to a strong 48%. While NW still leads with 35.6%, the distribution becomes more evenly spread between NW, WNW (19.6%) and NNW (12.2%), ensuring lots of favorable swell angles. The combination of 6-8ft (2-2.5m) waves and 10-14s periods produces heavy, firing surf at the northeast-facing beach, especially when the wind settles into SSW-SW. The NAO often takes charge in December, and the wetter, stormier westerly regime is in full swing. Air temps average 10.4°C, water is 14.3°C and precipitation is high - be ready for winter sessions that demand respect, hoods and good board selection.
Average Spot conditions at El Sardinero in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at El Sardinero 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 El Sardinero for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at El Sardinero 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 El Sardinero.