Conditions at Margara in May
May: The Trade-Wind Shift
May is where the surf quality takes a real hit. Average wave height falls to around 4.5ft (1.3m), the period drops to 6.1s, and the swell mix becomes heavily weighted toward ENE at 55.4%, with NE at 25.3% and E at 9.5%. The N/NNW direction nearly disappears, so the north-facing exposure of Margara loses most of its groundswell potential. Most waves are in the 3-5ft (1-1.5m) range, with plenty of smaller 1.5-3ft (0.5-1m) swell mixed in. The good news is that offshore wind is ideal 47% of the time, with E at 36.6%, ENE at 21.4% and ESE at 19.6%. That makes the waves cleaner, but they are small, short-period and often a bit grovelly. Water temperature reaches 27.7°C, air averages 26.8°C, and rain picks up to 4.18 mm/day.
Average Spot conditions at Margara in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Margara 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 Margara for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Margara 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 Margara.