Conditions at Praia de Monte Gordo in May
May: Small Summer Swell Sets In
May is where the summer doldrums begin. The average swell drops to 0.6m (2ft) and the average period plummets to 5.4s, meaning most of what rolls in is locally generated windswell rather than distant storm energy. The WSW and W quadrants rule the wave rose (22.6% and 18.7%), while SE swell, the most useful for the spot, remains present at 13.6% but rides mostly in the 0.5-1m (1.6-3.3ft) range. There are still small hints of groundswell - about 2.8% of waves from SE and 2.0% from SW reach 1-1.5m (3.3-4.9ft) - but it's enough only for a longboard or a high-performance funboard at this south-facing beach.
The wind situation turns more difficult. NNW (24.5%) and NW (11.9%) still dominate the morning, but the percentage of ideal surf wind has fallen to 26%. Thermal SW winds (9.5%), SSW (7.7%), and S (5.6%) mean that as the day heats up to 18.6°C average, the wind swings onshore and tears up the surface. Water temp climbs to 18.3°C and rainfall slacks to 1.17mm/day. Surf when the early north wind is still in control.
Average Spot conditions at Praia de Monte Gordo in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Praia de Monte Gordo 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 Praia de Monte Gordo for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Praia de Monte Gordo 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 Praia de Monte Gordo.