Conditions at Salinas in May
May: Small but Not Dead
May slides into the summer pattern. Average swell is down to 3.3ft (1.0m) at a 9.8s period, which means the wave quality drops from 'powerful' to 'average, punchy, rideable.' The direction window is still dominated by NW (43%) and NNW (33%), so when the swell does arrive it has the right angle; it just lacks size and period. The NW and NNW swells alone put 35% of the month in the 2-3ft (0.5-1m) category, with another good chunk at 3-5ft (1-1.5m) - ideal for a groveler or a high-performance shortboard on the better sets. Ideal offshore wind dips to 40%, and the ENE/NE winds start to take over as the main breeze. Water temps rise to 15.2°C and air averages 14°C. Early morning glass-offs before the thermal wind kicks up are almost always the play.
Average Spot conditions at Salinas in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Salinas 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 Salinas for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Salinas 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 Salinas.