Top 12 of 26 kitesurfing destinations scored for May · ERA5 reanalysis 2015-2024 · updated monthly
May opens the season at Kalpitiya and closes it at Langebaan, Bulabog, Podersdorf and one other. Of the 26 kitesurfing destinations in the dataset, 18 score 68 or better in May and 14 reach the prime band above 80, and the ten best places lean Europe, which takes 5 of them.
Sotavento leads on 99 at 83% windy days. Across the top ten the spread is Europe (5), Africa (3), North America (1), Asia (1). The month belongs to the northern hemisphere: 9 of the ten best sit above the equator.
Ranked by score out of 100. Each strip shows all twelve months, so you can see whether May is the spot's peak or its shoulder.
1. Sotavento Fuerteventura, Spain
99
Prime
Monthly score for Sotavento, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
93
96
97
98
99
99
99
99
94
81
86
92
83%days with working wind
15 knmean daily max wind
21.2 °Csea temperature
20.5 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
May is Sotavento's strongest month of the year for kitesurfing, scoring 99. The wind is the reason: 83% of days reach working strength, averaging 15 kn, which is consistency rather than the occasional big day. The sea sits at 21.2 °C with air at 20.5 °C — a 3/2 shorty.
Monthly score for Cape Hatteras, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
93
93
95
97
99
99
98
99
99
99
98
95
92%days with working wind
19 knmean daily max wind
21.8 °Csea temperature
20.7 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
May is Cape Hatteras's strongest month of the year for kitesurfing, scoring 99. The wind is the reason: 92% of days reach working strength, averaging 19 kn, which is consistency rather than the occasional big day. The sea sits at 21.8 °C with air at 20.7 °C — a 3/2 shorty.
Monthly score for Dakhla, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
97
97
97
98
98
99
98
99
99
99
97
98
97%days with working wind
17 knmean daily max wind
20.0 °Csea temperature
20.3 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
May is effectively as good as it gets at Dakhla: 98, within 1 point of its best month (June, 99). The wind is the reason: 97% of days reach working strength, averaging 17 kn, which is consistency rather than the occasional big day. The sea sits at 20.0 °C with air at 20.3 °C — a 3/2 shorty.
Monthly score for Essaouira, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
81
89
94
92
97
97
97
97
95
84
86
69
74%days with working wind
16 knmean daily max wind
18.2 °Csea temperature
19.2 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
May is Essaouira's strongest month of the year for kitesurfing, scoring 97. The wind is the reason: 74% of days reach working strength, averaging 16 kn, which is consistency rather than the occasional big day. The sea sits at 18.2 °C with air at 19.2 °C — a 3/2 shorty. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Le Morne, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
88
89
91
91
96
99
99
99
99
94
89
87
69%days with working wind
15 knmean daily max wind
27.5 °Csea temperature
24.5 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
May is effectively as good as it gets at Le Morne: 96, within 3 points of its best month (June, 99). The wind is the reason: 69% of days reach working strength, averaging 15 kn, which is consistency rather than the occasional big day. The sea sits at 27.5 °C with air at 24.5 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Porto Pollo, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
94
91
94
89
94
93
94
89
92
94
92
89
69%days with working wind
15 knmean daily max wind
18.2 °Csea temperature
17.9 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
May is Porto Pollo's strongest month of the year for kitesurfing, scoring 94. The wind is the reason: 69% of days reach working strength, averaging 15 kn, which is consistency rather than the occasional big day. The sea sits at 18.2 °C with air at 17.9 °C — a 3/2 shorty. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Fehmarn, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
88
88
88
89
93
96
98
94
95
93
90
88
77%days with working wind
15 knmean daily max wind
13.0 °Csea temperature
12.2 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Fehmarn works in May — 93 against a peak of 98 in July — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. The wind is the reason: 77% of days reach working strength, averaging 15 kn, which is consistency rather than the occasional big day. The sea sits at 13.0 °C with air at 12.2 °C — a hooded winter suit. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Rømø, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
88
88
88
89
93
96
98
98
97
93
89
88
85%days with working wind
18 knmean daily max wind
13.9 °Csea temperature
11.6 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Rømø works in May — 93 against a peak of 98 in July — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. The wind is the reason: 85% of days reach working strength, averaging 18 kn, which is consistency rather than the occasional big day. The sea sits at 13.9 °C with air at 11.6 °C — a hooded winter suit. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Prasonisi, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
96
91
93
85
88
96
99
98
96
81
76
89
57%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
19.9 °Csea temperature
20.7 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Prasonisi works in May — 88 against a peak of 99 in July — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. The wind is the reason: 57% of days reach working strength, averaging 13 kn, which is consistency rather than the occasional big day. The sea sits at 19.9 °C with air at 20.7 °C — a 3/2 shorty. It is one of the drier months, at 14 mm.
Monthly score for Kalpitiya, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
37
49
18
18
87
97
98
98
98
63
23
35
58%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
30.6 °Csea temperature
28.4 °Cair temperature
May-Sepbest run of months
Kalpitiya works in May — 87 against a peak of 98 in July — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. The wind is the reason: 58% of days reach working strength, averaging 13 kn, which is consistency rather than the occasional big day. The sea sits at 30.6 °C with air at 28.4 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Leucate, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
89
87
87
85
86
84
87
83
84
84
89
79
57%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
17.0 °Csea temperature
17.6 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
May is effectively as good as it gets at Leucate: 86, within 3 points of its best month (January, 89). The wind is the reason: 57% of days reach working strength, averaging 13 kn, which is consistency rather than the occasional big day. The sea sits at 17.0 °C with air at 17.6 °C — a 4/3 and boots.
Monthly score for Cabarete, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
67
79
84
81
86
96
98
91
65
43
39
59
55%days with working wind
12 knmean daily max wind
27.8 °Csea temperature
26.5 °Cair temperature
Feb-Augbest run of months
Cabarete works in May — 86 against a peak of 98 in July — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. The wind is the reason: 55% of days reach working strength, averaging 12 kn, which is consistency rather than the occasional big day. The sea sits at 27.8 °C with air at 26.5 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Sotavento, Spain scores highest in May at 99/100, based on ten years of ERA5 climatology scored for kitesurfing. Its best run of months is Year-round.
Where can I kitesurf in warm water in May?
Kalpitiya has the warmest sea among the spots that also score well in May — 30.6 °C, which is boardshorts, and shade between sessions, on a score of 87.
Is May a good month to kitesurf?
Yes — 14 destinations in the dataset reach the prime band (80+) in May, so you have real choice rather than one option.
These scores are climatology, not a forecast. They are computed from ten years of
ERA5 reanalysis (2015-2024) and answer which month and which spot to book — not
whether this Saturday is on. For live conditions, open the
interactive map.