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British Indian Ocean Territory- Diego Garcia Island
Conditions at Diego Garcia Island in May
May: The Trades Take Over
May is when the southwest-monsoon machine switches on for real. The ideal wind percentage collapses to just 9 percent, and the wind rose fills in from ESE (35.7%) and SE (29.4%), with a large amount of 20-30kph and even 30-40kph trade-wind flow. Average swell height jumps to around 7ft (2.1m) and the period is a solid 12.2s, so there is no shortage of long-period southern energy. Swell direction becomes highly concentrated in the SSE (47.2%), S (23.0%) and SE (14.1%) sectors, with essentially no westerly swell contribution. Most of the SSE energy is in the 5-8ft (1.5-2.5m) range, including 21.8% in the 6-8ft (2-2.5m) class. But on the east-facing reefs, the cross-onshore trade winds and wrong-direction swell create a rough, lumpy product. Water temps cool slightly to 28.6°C, rainfall drops to just 3.97mm/day, and the atoll becomes a place where you watch the ocean more than you enjoy it.
Average Spot conditions at Diego Garcia Island in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Diego Garcia Island during May. 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 Diego Garcia Island for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Diego Garcia Island for May. 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 Diego Garcia Island.