Conditions at Sylt in May
May: Spring's Small Windows
May is the beginning of the annual surf lull. Average swell height bottoms out at 3ft (0.9m) and average period drops to 5.5 seconds, pushing the surf into choppy, low, messy territory. The swell direction rose is still loaded with NW (21.0%) and NNW (16.7%) energy, but almost all of it is short-period windswell sitting in the 1.5-3.5ft (0.5-1m) class; only a small share reaches 3-5ft (1-1.5m). Wind conditions are mixed: ideal offshore ENE-E-ESE-SE winds blow 24.7% of the time, but the onshore northwesterly quadrant remains active, with NW at 11.5%, NNW at 13.2% and WNW at 8.6%. The combined bad-wind quadrant totals 34%, so blown-out days are common. The saving grace is improving weather: water temperature warms to 11.3°C, air temperatures average 10.9°C and precipitation is only 1.55 mm/day. Bring a grovel board and chase the early summer windows.
Average Spot conditions at Sylt in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Sylt 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 Sylt for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Sylt 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 Sylt.