Wishing Well • Statistics for May

May: Trade-Wind Pulses and Smaller Windows

May brings the late-spring transition into the low season. Average swell height drops to 3.5-4ft (1.1m), and the period falls to 8.7 seconds - a noticeable loss of punch. The dominant swell direction is ENE at 38 percent, NE at 26 percent, and E at 18 percent, with NNE adding 10 percent; this is mostly trade-wind-generated swell rather than groundswell. 48 percent of the waves are 0.5-1m (2-3ft) and 44 percent are 1-1.5m (3-5ft), while only 7 percent reach 1.5-2m (5-6.5ft). The good news is cleaner conditions: ideal wind jumps to 65 percent, and combined ENE/E winds make up 56 percent of the wind distribution, usually moderate at 10-20kph. Air temperatures are warm and humid at 26.8°C (22-33°C); water temperature reaches 27.9°C, and precipitation picks up to 4.2mm/day as the summer rain pattern develops. Surfable but small - look for the strongest NE pulses or an early tropical disturbance to add some size.