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Conditions at Long Beach in December
December: Winter's Full Force
December brings the biggest average surf of the year to Long Beach. Wave heights top out at 5ft (1.5m) with an average period of 7.2s. The swell rose still shows a strong south component - S 9.1%, SSW 8.4%, SSE 6.1% - but the action is spread across E, W, WNW, NW and NNW as well. That is the signature of a dynamic winter pattern with strong low-pressure systems and frequent frontal passages driving multiple swell trains. When those swells align with the south-facing beach, Long Beach can be excellent, but it can also become messy and raw when the period stays short.
Winds are dominated by the northwest quadrant: WNW 14.4%, NW 12.9%, and NNW 10.5% supply strong offshore/cross-offshore flow, while W 13.2% adds a cross-shore component. Offshore flow is extremely common, and ideal wind is 27 percent of the time. Yet the air temperature averages just 4.3°C, water temperatures have dropped to 8.7°C, and precipitation is the highest of the year at 3.90 mm/day. December is for the dedicated local crew - cold, stormy, and at times absolutely firing.
Average Spot conditions at Long Beach in December
Swell history for December
Wind history for December
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Long Beach 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 Long Beach for your next trip in December.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Long Beach 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 Long Beach.