Conditions at Kolibithra in May
May: Meltemi Season Begins
May is when the etesian wind machine starts to spin up, and Kolibithra feels it immediately. Average wave height drops to 0.7m (2ft), average period falls to 4.4s, and the ideal wind window slips to 4%. Swell direction is heavily north based, with N at 16.5% and NNW at a massive 27.1%, but nearly all of it is short-period windswell. NNW wind dominates at 39.0%, with N adding 7.3%, making onshore conditions the default. Total offshore S to SW winds still reach around 26%, but they are usually light and undercut by the prevailing north flow. The best surf comes early in the month, before the meltemi locks in fully, or on a rare morning when a night land breeze meets an old northwest groundswell. Water temperature climbs to 19.1°C and air temps average 18.9°C, so spring suits are the standard.
Average Spot conditions at Kolibithra in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Kolibithra 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 Kolibithra for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Kolibithra 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 Kolibithra.