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Conditions at Playa Pelada in May
May: Rainforest Pulse and Real Power
May marks the official arrival of the green season and the surf takes another step up. Average swell height increases to 1.4m (4.6ft) while the period reaches 14.2s, the longest of the year. The direction breakdown becomes a near-monoculture of optimal swell: SSW 81.4% and SW 13.8%, with the remaining sliver from S/WSW. More importantly, the 1.5-2m (5-6.5ft) class swells to about 31% of the total, and there is a touch of 2-2.5m (6.5-8ft) from the SSW - this is real groundswell.
The cost comes in weather. Rain jumps to 6.06mm/day, air temp sits around 28.2°C, and water temp peaks at 29.5°C. Wind is still ideal 48% of the time, but the trade wind weakens and the wind rose becomes more variable, with SE/S/SSW directions taking up a larger share. Surfers should chase the early-morning offshore and light-wind windows before the afternoon showers and onshore flow develop.
Average Spot conditions at Playa Pelada in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Playa Pelada 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 Pelada for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Playa Pelada 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 Pelada.