Conditions at Porto Covo in May
May: Small Swell, North Wind Reality
May marks the entrance to the fair-to-small season. Average swell height drops to 5ft (1.5m) and the period fades to 10.0s, so the power is clearly diminishing. Interestingly, the swell direction is still favourable - NW (45%), WNW (23%), W (10%) and NNW (12%) - but the shorter period and summer swell regime mean much of this is windswell or local northwesterly swell rather than true groundswell. The wind statistics explain why: ideal offshore flow is only 18%, while NNW (29%) and NW (18%) become the dominant daily winds, especially in the afternoon. The result is small, bumpy surf at Porto Covo. The best sessions are early morning with a light east or southeast breeze on a leftover NW swell. Water temperature (16.4°C) and air temperature (18.0°C) are warming up, and precipitation drops to 1.22mm/day as summer approaches.
Average Spot conditions at Porto Covo in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Porto Covo 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 Porto Covo for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Porto Covo 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 Porto Covo.