Conditions at Malhao in May
May: Smaller Swell and the Summer Nortada Begins
May sees a clear step down in both size and period. Average swell height is 1.5m (5ft), average period is 10.0s, and the surf becomes increasingly windswell-dominated. NW still accounts for 45.1% of all observations, with WNW at 23.2% and NNW at 12.3%, so the swell direction is not the issue. The problem is the wind: ideal conditions are only 18%, and the north wind machine is already running. NNW blows 28.7% of the time and NW 17.9%, frequently in the 20-30kph range. This combination produces small, bumpy, hard-to-read waves at Malhao. Still, there are fun 3-5ft (0.9-1.5m) waves on the better windows, especially on a high tide bank with glassy morning conditions. Air temp averages 18.0°C, water temp is 16.4°C, and rainfall drops to 1.22 mm/day.
Average Spot conditions at Malhao in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Malhao 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 Malhao for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Malhao 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 Malhao.