Conditions at Praia do Norte in May
May: Summer Signal Fades
May sees the North Atlantic energy continue to fade. The average swell height is 1.5m (5ft) and the average period drops to 10.0 seconds, signalling a shift from powerful groundswell toward more average, punchy surf. Directionally, the swell is still dominated by NW at 35.2% and WNW at 23.7%, with NNW adding 21.7% and W at 10.4%. Those summer-style NW swells can still bring fun, rippable waves, but the heavy, long-period consistency of winter is largely gone.
The wind regime starts to favour the classic Portuguese northerly pattern, with NNW reaching 39.3% and NW at 10.2%. Ideal surfing wind drops to just 22% of the time. Water temperature rises to 16.4°C and air temperatures average 16.3°C, making for more pleasant conditions in the water. May is a dawn-patrol month: look for the earlier windows before the afternoon northerly wind picks up.
Average Spot conditions at Praia do Norte in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Praia do Norte 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 do Norte for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Praia do Norte 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 do Norte.