Conditions at El Sardinero in May
May: Groveling Into Summer
May is a true small-wave month. The average height falls to 4ft (1.2m) and period drops to 10.0s, which puts the surf squarely in the fun-sized, groveling category. Swell is still almost entirely from the north-west quadrant, with NW at 53% and NNW at 21.8%, but the bulk of the distribution falls in the 2-3ft (0.5-1m) and 3-5ft (1-1.5m) classes. Clean days become more weather-dependent: ideal wind is 41%, and the SSW-SW offshore flow is much less frequent than in winter, while ENE and E winds dominate the wind rose. Water temp warms to 15.6°C and air temp to 14.8°C, making dawn patrols in lighter rubber more pleasant. This is the month to chase the occasional leftover NW pulse before the summer flatness sets in.
Average Spot conditions at El Sardinero in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at El Sardinero 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 El Sardinero for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at El Sardinero 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 El Sardinero.