Conditions at Lista in May
May: The Summer Lull Takes Hold
May signals the end of reliable winter surf at Lista. The average wave height falls to 1.1m (3.5ft) and the period shortens to 6.5s, moving most surf below the punchy threshold and into average-to-messy windswell territory. The swell rose is now heavily tilted toward NW and WNW, which combined supply over 40% of the wave energy. This is not the direction for a southwest-facing beach, so the surf tends to be disorganized and weaker than the raw numbers suggest. The S/SSW/SW/WSW window is still present, at about a quarter of the total, but the waves are usually small and soft. Wind conditions include frequent NW/WNW flow and a strong E component, while true offshore N-NE winds occur just 9% of the time. Air temperatures rise to around 9.8°C, water temperatures climb to 9.3°C, and precipitation is lower at 2.4mm per day. May is a month for low expectations and high-volume boards, though a lucky E/NE offshore morning on a fading S-SW swell can still produce fun little waves.
Average Spot conditions at Lista in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Lista 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 Lista for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Lista 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 Lista.