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Conditions at Pico Alto in May
May: True Winter Swell Arrives
May marks the beginning of the true big-wave window. Average swell height jumps to 5.9ft (1.8m), and the period stays strong at 13.6s. SSW energy accounts for 84 percent of the swell, with small contributions from S and SW. The wave rose shows 47 percent of the time in the 5-6.5ft (1.5-2m) range and 20 percent in the 6.5-8ft (2-2.5m) class, plus a small share of 8ft-plus (2.5m+) surf.
On the wind side, May is a grind. South and south-southwest winds make up more than 90 percent of the observations, and ideal offshore flow is absent. Water temperatures drop to 17.0°C and air temperatures to 18.6°C, while rainfall remains almost negligible at 0.03 mm/day. The swell will be powerful and consistent, but surface conditions will be challenging outside of brief offshore windows.
Average Spot conditions at Pico Alto in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Pico Alto 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 Pico Alto for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Pico Alto 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 Pico Alto.