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Conditions at Makaha in May
May: The First Heavy Hitters
May marks the beginning of the true winter swell season on the Peruvian coast. The average height reaches 5ft (1.5m), average period remains at a peak-like 13.7s, and the distribution shows 38.2 percent of the swells in the 5-6ft (1.5-2m) class plus a healthy 6.8 percent in the 6-8ft (2-2.5m) range. Swell direction is 87.8 percent SSW and 11.3 percent SW, which lines up perfectly with Makaha's southwest exposure. Air temperatures start to cool to an average of 18.2°C, and the water drops to 17.9°C. The winds, unfortunately, become even more onshore: 77.8 percent from due S, with an additional 14.5 percent from the SSW. Gusts in the 20-30kph range start to appear more often. This is heavy-bump surfing - powerful Southern Ocean groundswell hitting a windblown beach. The right sandbar or channel can still serve up memorable walls, especially on lower tides.
Average Spot conditions at Makaha in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Makaha 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 Makaha for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Makaha 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 Makaha.