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Conditions at El Faro in May
May: The Roar of the Westerlies Reaches the Coast
May marks the beginning of the core surf season for this exposed part of Chile. The average swell height climbs to 2.7m (8.9ft), and the period stays at a powerful 12.9s. Swell is still dominated by SW (18.7%) and WSW (15.5%), but the W (5.7%), WNW (2.0%), NW (0.8%) and NNW (0.6%) sectors all expand, giving El Faro its best chance of seeing swell that actually wraps into its NNW-facing pocket. Winds are split between offshore southerlies (S 26.4% and SSW 12.4%) and an increasing number of onshore N/NNE/NNW cold-front winds (NNE 13.8%, NNW 11.9%). Ideal conditions drop to 24% but still offer rideable windows between fronts. Water temperature cools to 13.2°C, air temp to 12.3°C, and precipitation ramps up to 4.77 mm/day. Bring a hood and be ready to work the tides.
Average Spot conditions at El Faro in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at El Faro 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 El Faro for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at El Faro 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 El Faro.