Conditions at Sultans in May
May: Southwest Swell Delivers the First Real Push
May is when the surf season switches on. Average swell height jumps to 3.6ft (1.1m), and the wave rose fills with WSW (22.9 per cent), W (15.8 per cent), SW (16.6 per cent) and SSW (13.0 per cent) energy. Periods remain in the average band at 7.5s, so much of this is monsoon-forced windswell rather than long-period groundswell, but the reef is suddenly receiving a lot more water. Winds are strongly westerly, with WSW at 32.1 per cent and W at 35 per cent, meaning Sultans frequently sits on the offshore side of the atoll. The ideal-wind score drops to 41 per cent because the monsoon flow is often fresh to strong, but quality windows still exist. With water at 29.9°C, air at 28.5°C and rain at 6.42mm/day, May serves up warm, tropical, occasionally squally sessions and some proper 3-5ft (0.9-1.5m) surf.
Average Spot conditions at Sultans in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Sultans 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 Sultans for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Sultans 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 Sultans.