Conditions at Caldera in May
May: The SSW Machine Is At Full Strength
May is the first month where the swell machine looks genuinely 'in season' on paper. The average period is a solid 14.5s, tied for the highest of the year, and SSW swell accounts for 70.5% of the directional spectrum, with SW adding another 8.8%. This is exactly the kind of direction that an open WSW-facing beach needs. However, the average swell height remains around 1ft (0.3m), and only about 0.9% of the distribution reaches the 2-3ft (0.5-1m) 'fun-sized' category. The wet season is ramping up, with precipitation jumping to 5.40mm/day, air temperatures around 27.8°C and water temperature at its warmest, 29.7°C. The wind field becomes dominated by S (19.0%), SSW (14.4%) and SSE (12.2%), all of which are onshore or cross-onshore. When a break in the rain aligns with a longer-period SSW pulse, Caldera can offer a few clean knee-high corners, but it is still a far cry from proper surf.
Average Spot conditions at Caldera in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Caldera 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 Caldera for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Caldera 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 Caldera.