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Conditions at Playa Santa Catalina in May
May: Bigger Swell, Onshore Battle
May marks the real transition into wet-season surf. Southern Hemisphere winter storms start sending longer, more energetic groundswell northward, pushing average heights to 1m (3ft) with a peak period of 14.1s. The swell direction is almost locked into the SSW/SW window, with 96.6% from SSW and 3.4% from SW, and around 34% of waves now fall in the 3-5ft (1-1.5m) class, with an occasional 5-6.5ft (1.5-2m) set. The catch is wind: ideal offshore flow plunges to 36% as WSW, W and SW winds take over the rose. Rain increases to 8.1mm/day, air temps stay tropical at 27.7°C, and the water is 28.4°C. Dawn patrol and the more sheltered parts of the bay are the keys to scoring.
Average Spot conditions at Playa Santa Catalina in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Playa Santa Catalina 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 Santa Catalina for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Playa Santa Catalina 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 Santa Catalina.