Conditions at Faja da Areia in May
May: Dawn Patrol Season
The Atlantic engine starts to power down in May. Average swell height drops to 5.5ft (1.7m) and average period falls to 10.0s, which moves the surf out of the long-period class and into a more windswell-driven regime. There is still a ton of NNW and NW energy in the water, but it is shorter-period and less consistent. The growing Azores High blocks deep low-pressure systems, and the average wave quality at Faja da Areia becomes a game of finding the right sandbar with the right wind.
Ideal offshore wind drops to just 12%, and NNE winds dominate a massive 26% of the time, often mushing out the afternoon. Still, on a clean morning with a fading NW groundswell, there are fun, rippable walls in the 3-5ft range. Water temperature reaches 19.2°C, air averages 18.2°C, and rainfall is low at 0.56 mm/day.
Average Spot conditions at Faja da Areia in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Faja da Areia 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 Faja da Areia for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Faja da Areia 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 Faja da Areia.