Conditions at Porto da Cruz in May
May: Smaller, More Northerly Fun
May sees the Atlantic storm track weaken and average wave heights shrink to around 5-6ft (1.5-1.8m) with an average period of exactly 10.0s. The good news is that swell direction turns more northerly: N and NNE combine for 28.3% of the total, while NNW still dominates at 34.2%. This creates more direct swell exposure at Porto da Cruz. The bad news is that the trade wind machine is cranking up: NNE winds are the clear favorite at 26.4%, and the ideal offshore S-SW window drops to 19%. Surf becomes more windswell-influenced, but fun, rippable waves can still be found when a weak low drifts by and flips the wind offshore. Water temperature is 19.1°C, air averages 18.2°C, and precipitation is low at 0.56mm/day.
Average Spot conditions at Porto da Cruz in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Porto da Cruz 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 da Cruz for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Porto da Cruz 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 da Cruz.