Conditions at Paunch in May
May: Wet Season Creeps In, Energy Dips
May is the beginning of the Central American wet season, and you can feel it in the surf. Average height falls to 3.0ft (0.9m) and the period stays at 7.5s. The NE direction still dominates with 85%, but a much larger portion is small: 46.2% of all waves are only 2-3ft (0.5-1m), and 5.7% are under 1.5ft (0.5m). Onshore and variable winds become more frequent, with ideal conditions dropping to 75%. Trade-wind direction remains WNW/NW, but afternoon thunderstorms and local sea breezes are more common. Rainfall jumps to 8.62 mm/day, air temperature averages 25.5°C, and water temperature reaches 29.0°C. The surf is rideable but marginal, and consistency takes a hit.
Average Spot conditions at Paunch in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Paunch 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 Paunch for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Paunch 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 Paunch.