Conditions at Bude in May
May: Dependable But Downscaled
May keeps the west-facing groove alive but at a lower, less forceful level. Average swell sits around 3-4ft (1.1m) with an 8.7-second period, and W (34.7%) plus WSW (23.8%) swells still make up the majority of the energy. Most of it is in the 0.5-1.5m range, so Bude offers small, fun-sized waves better suited to longboards and grovelers. Offshore wind shows up about 27% of the time, often in the mornings under spring high pressure, but the afternoon sea breeze becomes an increasing issue. By midday, WSW/W winds can turn the surface lumpy and onshore. Water temperature warms to 11.9°C, air temperature averages 11.5°C, and precipitation is lower at 2.21mm/day. Keep an eye on the tail end of spring lows; May can still spin up a sneaky 5ft (1.5m) swell when the Azores High does not fully dominate.
Average Spot conditions at Bude in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Bude 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 Bude for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Bude 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 Bude.