Conditions at Bordeira in May
May: Clean Lines, But the Summer Wind Machine Starts
May sees the surf shrink to an average of 1.6m (5.2ft), with period dropping to 9.8s. Directionally, NW (39.7%), NNW (23.9%) and WNW (16.7%) dominate, but the energy is mostly in the 1-2m (3-6ft) range, with only scattered bigger sets. It is a fun-sized month rather than a heavy one - good for a mid-length or fish if the wind plays ball.
And wind is the defining issue: ideal offshore winds fall to just 11 percent, and the famous summer northerly regime is in full swing with NNW at 39.0% and NW at 13.4%. These winds often create a choppy, sideshore texture on the NW-facing beach. The Atlantic high-pressure ridge strengthens, precipitation drops to 1.20mm/day, air temps reach 17.6°C and water temp reaches 16.9°C. May is best treated as a bonus month - small, tricky, but not completely dead.
Average Spot conditions at Bordeira in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Bordeira 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 Bordeira for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Bordeira 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 Bordeira.