Conditions at Barbate in May
May: Levante Season Arrives
May is a small-wave month at Barbate: average swell height drops to 1.0m (3.3ft) and period to 8.2s, placing most waves in the small, windswell category. The W/NW background still exists, but it is increasingly weak and messy. Meanwhile, the E/ESE Levante wind becomes a major player-E alone represents 21.7% of all wind, with strong 30-50kph events frequent. Ideal offshore wind occurs only 27% of the time, so clean, surfable waves are limited to early mornings with light N/NW flow before the Levante strengthens. Water warms to 18.0°C, air averages 18.2°C, and rainfall drops to 0.91 mm/day. For a dedicated surfer, May is more about small fun waves and longboard sessions than serious power. Watch for passing Atlantic lows that can still squeeze a few pulses of W swell through the Strait.
Average Spot conditions at Barbate in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Barbate 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 Barbate for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Barbate 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 Barbate.