Conditions at Pedrogao in May
May: Smaller Swells and the Rise of the Northerly Wind
By May the North Atlantic storm track has shifted well to the north, and Pedrogão feels the change. Average wave height drops to 5ft (1.5m) and average period falls to 10.0s, moving from powerful groundswell into average, punchy, rideable territory. The swell direction is still remarkably west/northwest: NW dominates at 35.2%, WNW 23.7%, NNW 21.7%, W 10.4%, WSW 2.5%. But most of that energy is now in the 2-5ft (0.5-1.5m) range, with fewer waves in the 5-6ft (1.5-2m) class. The bigger issue is wind: ideal offshore wind occurs just 14% of the time, while NNW winds blow a massive 38.1% of the time, creating onshore/cross-onshore conditions that make the surf lumpy and less organized. Air temperatures are pleasant at 16.4°C (range 4.8 to 33.5°C), precipitation is 2.05 mm/day, and water temperature is 16.3°C. Early mornings are your friend.
Average Spot conditions at Pedrogao in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Pedrogao 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 Pedrogao for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Pedrogao 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 Pedrogao.