Conditions at Matadouro in May
May: Summer Swell Sets In
May is the first true summer-style surf month in disguise. The average swell height is down to 5.5-6ft (1.7m) and the average period is 9.9s - no longer a true groundswell regime. Swell direction is heavily northern: NNW (31.5%) and NW (30.5%) combine for more than 60% of all wave energy, with WNW (17.4%) and W (8.8%) next. Matadouro still sees waves on most days, but they are better described as medium-period north swell mixed with local windswell.
Ideal wind drops to 11%, while the prevailing NNW wind explodes to 36.5%. N (12.7%) and NW (9.3%) add to the strong, persistent northerly gradient that is typical of an Iberian spring. This wind keeps the surface bumpy and often turns long-period remnants into soft, sectiony surf. The rare day with light east wind and a clean NW pulse will produce fun, rippable waves in the 4-6ft (1.2-1.8m) range, but consistency is no longer winter-grade.
Average air temperature is 16.7°C, water temperature 16.5°C, and rainfall drops to 1.48mm/day. A 3/2mm fullsuit is the standard choice.
Average Spot conditions at Matadouro in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Matadouro 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 Matadouro for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Matadouro 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 Matadouro.