Conditions at Santa Barbara in May
May: Northern Swell and Nortada Tug-of-War
By May the average swell drops to 1.9m (6.2ft) with a 10.1s period, but the favourable N/NNE/NE/ENE quadrant reaches a solid 23% of the swell rose. The beach starts to see cleaner, more directionally suited swell, often in the fun, rippable 1-2m (3-6.5ft) range. The problem is the arrival of the stronger Portuguese nortada: N/NE winds total around 28% during May, while ideal S/SW offshore flow is also around 27% - a close contest. Ideal wind share is 18%, one of the better spring values. Water temperature warms to 17.7°C, with air temps around 17.1°C and rain easing to 1.41 mm/day. When the sea breeze or nortada relaxes, May can be surprisingly clean.
Average Spot conditions at Santa Barbara in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara.