Conditions at Zambujeira do Mar in May
May: Smaller Swell, North Wind Battle
May marks the end of reliable winter groundswell. Average height drops to 1.6m (5ft) and average period to 10.0s. Swell direction is almost entirely from the NW quadrant - NW 43.3%, NNW 19.1%, WNW 18.9% - but the magic is fading. Waves are smaller, shorter-period and more surface-driven.
Ideal wind is just 19%, with NNW (29.4%) and NW (16.8%) winds creating textured, onshore conditions most days. Air temperature warms to 17.9°C, water temperature to 16.6°C, and precipitation drops to 1.08mm/day. There are fun groveling waves on lower tides, but high-quality surf is rare.
Average Spot conditions at Zambujeira do Mar in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Zambujeira do Mar 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 Zambujeira do Mar for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Zambujeira do Mar 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 Zambujeira do Mar.