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Conditions at Porthleven in May
May: Small, Clean and Ripable
May is the peak of the spring clean-up. Average swell height drops to around 4-5ft (1.4m), and the average period slips to 9.1s, meaning the wave energy is becoming shorter and more locally generated. The swell rose still shows a strong W (24.5%), WSW (17.4%), WNW (12.9%) and SW (10.0%) pattern, but the quality of the surf has shifted toward fun-sized, rippable conditions rather than heavy winter barrels.
Wind conditions are the friendliest of the year. Ideal wind reaches 26%, the highest monthly figure in the dataset. NNW (10.9%) and E (10.3%) are the most common directions, while the N/NNE/NE/ENE offshore quadrant totals around 16.8%. The persistent spring sea breezes can still chop things up in the afternoon, but morning sessions often deliver clean, lined-up surf.
Water temperature warms to 11.9°C, air temperature averages 11.9°C, and precipitation falls to 1.99 mm/day. May is not about size; it is about clean, consistent spring waves and the start of the wetsuit-thinning season.
Average Spot conditions at Porthleven in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Porthleven 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 Porthleven for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Porthleven 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 Porthleven.