Punta de Lobos • Statistics for May

May: The Mar de Fondo Arrives

May is when the South Pacific truly roars back to life. The storm track shifts northward into the heart of the Roaring Forties, and Punta de Lobos begins to feel the pulse of the famous Mar de Fondo - deep-water groundswell born thousands of kilometres away. Average heights nudge up to 5-6ft (1.5-1.8m) and the swell direction spreads out: WSW drops to 53 percent, SW holds at 23 percent, and the W window strengthens to 13 percent. Critically, the combined WNW-NW-NNW window expands beyond 3 percent - still small, but a clear sign that more westerly energy is coming.

The period remains a powerful 12.7s, and the heavy end of the spectrum grows: over 17 percent of waves now sit in the 6.5-8ft (2-2.5m) class, with the first hints of 8ft+ (2.5m+) readings appearing. The tradeoff is a less stable wind regime. Ideal surfing wind drops to 65 percent, NNE flow surges to 10 percent, and N/NNW onshore winds become more frequent and stronger as frontal systems approach. Rain increases to 2.48 mm/day and the air cools to 12.4°C (54°F), with the sea settling at 13.0°C (55°F). Surfers who pick the windows between fronts - with offshore S-SSW winds and the winter fetch roaring - will already find Punta de Lobos firing hard.