Conditions at Inatel in May
May: The Summer Lull Takes Hold
By May the Azores High is gaining control, and the numbers at Inatel reflect it. Average height drops to 2-3ft (0.7m) and the average period slides to 7.8s. This is the shift from organised groundswell to local windswell. The swell rose is dominated by W, WNW, and NW at over 55% combined, while the S/SSW/SW window remains a smaller part of the mix. For a south-facing beach, this means fewer clean, powerful waves and more fat, crumbly lines.
Offshore winds are ideal just 18% of the time. NNW is still the main offshore wind at 22%, with NW at 15%, but the swell simply lacks the size and period to turn those clean mornings into great surf. Air temperatures warm to 18.3°C, precipitation drops to 1.11 mm/day, and water temperature rises to 17.4°C. Small-wave boards become the norm.
Average Spot conditions at Inatel in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Inatel 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 Inatel for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Inatel 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 Inatel.