Conditions at Santo Amaro in May
May: Northern Machine and Windswell Texture
May sees the swell engine begin to idle down to an average of 5ft (1.6m) and a 9.9-second period-right on the boundary of average and long period. The waverose is dominated by a narrow NNW-to-NW corridor: NW alone accounts for 35.6 percent, and adding NNW and WNW covers nearly 80 percent of the observations. This relentless north-westerly pattern is driven by the strengthening Iberian thermal low, which funnels strong NNW winds into the region. The ideal-wind score stays healthy at 47 percent, so there are plenty of clean, rippable days. Air temperatures climb to 16.8°C and water warms to 16.4°C, making spring sessions neoprene-lite. Waves are less powerful but more playful; shortboarders will find plenty of sectiony wedges, while longboarders start to enjoy the summer-like character.
Average Spot conditions at Santo Amaro in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Santo Amaro 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 Santo Amaro for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Santo Amaro 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 Santo Amaro.