Conditions at Sagres in May
May: Smaller Swells and the Norte Wind Machine
May settles into a smaller, wind-driven rhythm. Average swell height is around 5ft (1.6m) with period dropping to 9.8s-still within the punchy category, but no longer the long-period groundswell of winter. The NW distribution amplifies: NW 39.7%, NNW 23.9%, WNW 16.7%, W 7.1%, leaving almost no direct S/SE swell at about 0.7%. Most surf will be medium-period NW energy wrapping into the bay.
Wind is all about the norte: NNW is an enormous 41.6% of the time, with NW 14.2%, WNW 6.3%, N 4.7%. Despite this offshore direction dominance, only 25% of the time counts as ideal for surfing-the strong 20-40kph pulses make the smaller waves difficult. Water temperature warms to 17.0°C, air averages 17.6°C (11.2-30.4°C), and rain drops to 1.20mm/day. It is a time for grovel boards and small-wave strategies.
Average Spot conditions at Sagres in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Sagres 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 Sagres for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Sagres 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 Sagres.