Conditions at Penarronda in May
May: Warm Water, Small Waves, and a Longboard Vibe
By May, Penarronda is in full spring lull mode. Average swell height falls to around 3ft (1.0m) and the period drops to 9.7s, producing a mix of short-period groundswell and windswell. The directions are still stubbornly north-northwest: NNW accounts for 36 percent, NW 33 percent, NNE 10 percent, but the height distribution shows that most waves are now small, fun-sized and in the 2-3ft (0.5-1m) range.
Offshore wind days drop to 27 percent, and the increasing daylight and land heating generate regular NE/ENE winds. When a light SSW or SW offshore flow lines up with the morning tide, the beach can still produce clean, tapering peaks on a longboard, but you will be hunting for waves rather than being spoiled by them. Water temperature climbs to 15.0°C, air averages 14.0°C, and rainfall drops to 2.17 mm/day. It is a beautiful time to be at the beach, but not a high-performance surf month.
Average Spot conditions at Penarronda in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Penarronda 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 Penarronda for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Penarronda 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 Penarronda.