Flagge von Costa Rica

Playa Valor • Statistics for May

Conditions at Playa Valor in May

May: Wet Season Begins, So Does Southern Hemi Swell Season

May sees the wet season settle in. Rainfall jumps to 5.40mm/day, air temperatures begin to cool slightly to 27.8°C and water temperature peaks at 29.7°C. The average wave period reaches the yearly maximum of 14.5s, reflecting more consistent long-period energy from the Southern Hemisphere, but the average height stays stuck at 1ft (0.3m). The swell direction is dead on the spot's exposure: SSW 71.3%, S 17.9% and SW 8.8%. However, offshore winds collapse to only 9.3% of the time, while onshore SSW/SW/WSW/W winds occupy 33.0%. This creates a frustrating combo - the swell window is right, but the wind quality is often wrong and the size is too small. Ideal conditions are 0%. Expect small, lumpy conditions unless a proper south swell coincides with a rare morning offshore.

Average Spot conditions at Playa Valor in May

Swell history for May

0 - 2
2 - 3
3 - 5
5 - 6
6 - 8
> 8 ft

Wind history for May

0 - 6.2
6.3 - 12.4
12.4 - 18.6
18.6 - 24.9
24.9 - 31.1
> 31.1 mph

Swell quality

Analyze the groundswell consistency at Playa Valor 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 Playa Valor for your next trip in May.

Ground swell

Ground swell by size

Wind conditions

Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Playa Valor 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 Playa Valor.

Swell with good wind

Swell with good wind by size

Choose month for details