Conditions at Consolacao in May
May: Shoulder Season with a Northerly Grip
May sees the surf energy take a clear step back. The average wave height drops to 5.9ft (1.8m) and the period falls to 9.9 seconds, meaning more windswell marks in the mix. The swell directions are still dominated by the NNW (29.9 percent), NW (28.4 percent), and WNW (17.4 percent) sectors, but now the strong cross-shore winds are the main story. Ideal offshore conditions are down to just 14 percent, and the persistent NNW wind howls 38.3 percent of the time, with NW adding another 10.2 percent. This is the beginning of the nortada season that plagues the Portuguese west coast in summer. Surf quality is fickle: on a good day with a clean easterly outflow, the small 5-6ft waves are fun and rippable; on the typical day, it is bumpy and chopped. Sea temperature climbs to 16.3°C, air temps average 16.3°C, and rainfall is limited to 1.65 mm/day. May is for the laid-back surfer who does not mind a bit of chop and the occasional fun little swell.
Average Spot conditions at Consolacao in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Consolacao 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 Consolacao for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Consolacao 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 Consolacao.