Conditions at Albufeira in May
May: Longboard Season Begins
May sees the surf continue to fade into summer mode. Average swell height is around 2ft (0.7m), the average period shortens to 7.8s, and ideal wind is down to 18%. The 0.5-1m (1.5-3ft) class is still the biggest single bucket, but 0-0.5m (0-1.5ft) becomes just as common across W, WNW and NW directions. W and WNW combine for more than 40% of the swell rose, while true S/SW swell accounts for less than 10%, mostly in the small/groveling range. Winds remain mostly NNW (21.8%) and NW (14.7%), blowing offshore and keeping the surface clean. Water temperature reaches 17.4°C, air averages 18.3°C, and precipitation eases to 1.11mm/day. For Albufeira, May is longboard and funboard territory - when a late south pulse sneaks in, the high tide sandbars can still offer playful little runners.
Average Spot conditions at Albufeira in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Albufeira 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 Albufeira for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Albufeira 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 Albufeira.