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Conditions at Playa Dominical in May
May: More Swell, More Rain
May is when the wet season announces itself. Average precipitation jumps to 7.28mm/day and ideal wind plummets to 26% of the time. Yet the swell statistics actually improve: average height reaches 4.5ft (1.3m), the period peaks at 14.1s for the year, and the SSW/SW direction remains dialed in. Over 20% of the waves now break in the 5-6.5ft (1.5-2m) range, with a few 6.5-8ft (2-2.5m) bombs on the cards. Southern Hemisphere winter storms are waking up, and Dominical's SSW-facing sandbars see the benefit.
The trade-off is surface quality. Onshore flow from the S, SSW and SW becomes more frequent, and the daily shower cycle roughens the lineup. The 26% ideal wind window usually comes in the form of light N/NNE breezes in the early morning before the seabreeze kicks onshore. Water temp remains a warm 29.2°C (85°F) and air temps stay near 21.9°C (71°F). If you are chasing size and do not mind working for clean waves, May is a legitimately juicy month.
Average Spot conditions at Playa Dominical in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Playa Dominical 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 Playa Dominical for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Playa Dominical 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 Playa Dominical.