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Conditions at Playa Grande in May
May: The Green Season Brings Cleaner Air
May marks the real shift into the wet season. The trades weaken, the ITCZ drifts north, and the wind field becomes far more balanced. Average swell height falls to 1.1m (3.5ft) and the period is 7.4s, but the distribution is promising: 34.1% of waves are 0.5-1m and 35.2% are 1-1.5m, with only a small percentage reaching the 1.5-2m range. The swell direction is still overwhelmingly NE at 89.7%, yet the wind is no longer a relentless onshore machine - NE drops to 23.5%, NNE to 16.6%, and the ideal offshore wind percentage jumps to 20%. This creates a real window for Playa Grande to groom those 2-4ft (0.6-1.2m) peaks into clean, rippable waves. Rain increases to 7.5mm/day and water temperature rises to 28.6C, so conditions are warm, green and far more user-friendly.
Average Spot conditions at Playa Grande in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Playa Grande 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 Grande for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Playa Grande 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 Grande.