Conditions at Praia da Rocha in May
May: The Lull Begins, But Small Waves Linger
May feels the summer drag. Average swell height shrinks to 3ft (0.9m), while average period drops to 9.6s, putting most waves into the average, punchy, rideable class. NW (34.6%) and WNW (27.7%) now dominate the swell rose, with W at about 14%; the S-SSW-SW-WSW window contributes only about 9.5%. The wind is ideal only 29% of the time, and NNW wind (24.6%) plus NW wind (17.9%) create a strong cross-onshore tendency during the afternoon. Still, early mornings with N-NNE offshore breeze can deliver fun, small, clean waves on a longboard or fish. Air temperature averages 17.6°C, water temperature climbs to 17.1°C, and rainfall decreases to 1.20mm/day. It's not maxed-out Praia da Rocha, but there are rippable windows.
Average Spot conditions at Praia da Rocha in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Praia da Rocha 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 Praia da Rocha for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Praia da Rocha 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 Praia da Rocha.