Conditions at Amado in May
May: Smaller Swells and a Cross-Shore Struggle
May is a transition month where the ocean starts to look like summer. Average swell height slips to 1.6m (5ft), and the period drops to 9.8s-this is the beginning of the shorter-period windswell regime. The northwest swell direction becomes even more dominant, making up 39.7 percent of all waves, with north-northwest adding 23.9 percent. However, wave heights are increasingly concentrated in the 1-1.5m (3-5ft) range, which is fun and rippable but far from powerful. The 2m+ (6ft+) percentage shrinks dramatically.
Wind quality continues to worsen, with the ideal offshore wind percentage hitting just 11 percent. The wind rose for May shows the north-northwest wind direction ballooning to 39 percent, with strong 20-30kph and 30-40kph components. This sends constant onshore/poorly textured surf toward Amado. The west-southwest and west swells are still present but are often accompanied by the very winds that make them bumpy. Air temps are pleasant at 17.6°C, water has risen to 16.9°C, and rainfall drops to 1.20 mm/day. The holiday crowds start to appear, and the surf quality is generally mediocre. Early mornings and any subtle easterly breeze are your only real saviors.
Average Spot conditions at Amado in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Amado 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 Amado for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Amado 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 Amado.