Conditions at La Pared in May
May: Small Summer Swell and the Trade Machine
May sees the North Atlantic settle into its warm-season pattern. Average wave height drops to 4ft (1.2m) and average period falls to 7.4s, a clear sign that the long-period groundswell season is over. The swell is now dominated by ENE (40.4%) and E (32.7%), with NE at 16.0%. These are short-fetch trade swells that arrive on the same wind that creates them, so they are generally soft, windswell-like, and better suited to a funboard or longboard.
The wind structure is the classic Caribbean trade setup. E and ESE combined account for 66.4% of all wind observations, mostly 10-30kph, and ideal offshore conditions drop to just 8 percent. This is groveling territory: small, punchy, but often lumpy and cross-onshore. Water temperature warms to 27.8°C, air averages 26.8°C, and precipitation climbs to 4.43mm/day, so expect afternoon showers and sticky conditions.
Average Spot conditions at La Pared in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at La Pared 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 La Pared for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at La Pared 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 La Pared.