Top 12 of 32 surfing destinations scored for May · ERA5 reanalysis 2015-2024 · updated monthly
May opens the season at Puerto Escondido, Santa Teresa and Bells Beach and closes it at Essaouira, Peniche, Pipeline and 4 others. Of the 32 surfing destinations in the dataset, 22 score 68 or better in May and 12 reach the prime band above 80, one of the leaner months of the year.
Le Morne leads on 95 at 2.0 m @ 11 s. Across the top ten the spread is Africa (3), Oceania (2), North America (2), South America (1), Asia (1), Europe (1). The top of the table has moved south of the equator — 7 of the ten best are southern-hemisphere spots, which is the whole reason this month reads differently from six months ago.
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. Le Morne Rivière Noire, Mauritius
95
Prime
Monthly score for Le Morne, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
89
89
90
92
95
97
94
95
94
93
92
87
69%days with working wind
15 knmean daily max wind
2.0 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
27.5 °Csea temperature
24.5 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
May is effectively as good as it gets at Le Morne: 95, within 2 points of its best month (June, 97). Swell runs 2.0 m at 11 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 27.5 °C with air at 24.5 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions.
Monthly score for Raglan, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
84
91
92
92
93
90
90
89
92
91
90
90
57%days with working wind
14 knmean daily max wind
2.1 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
17.5 °Csea temperature
14.1 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
May is Raglan's strongest month of the year for surfing, scoring 93. Swell runs 2.1 m at 11 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 17.5 °C with air at 14.1 °C — a 4/3 and boots.
Monthly score for Muizenberg, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
83
87
87
87
91
91
92
92
89
85
86
83
32%days with working wind
10 knmean daily max wind
2.1 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
15.9 °Csea temperature
15.9 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
May is effectively as good as it gets at Muizenberg: 91, within 1 point of its best month (July, 92). Swell averages 2.1 m at 10 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 15.9 °C with air at 15.9 °C — a 4/3 and boots. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Chicama, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
74
76
82
86
91
88
88
84
86
80
80
74
89%days with working wind
14 knmean daily max wind
1.6 mmean swell height
12 sswell period
19.6 °Csea temperature
20.7 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
May is Chicama's strongest month of the year for surfing, scoring 91. Swell runs 1.6 m at 12 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 19.6 °C with air at 20.7 °C — a 3/2 shorty. Conditions are still building, so later in the season scores higher.
Monthly score for Margaret River, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
95
95
96
97
90
82
71
73
81
88
93
95
47%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
2.8 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
20.5 °Csea temperature
15.8 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Margaret River works in May — 90 against a peak of 97 in April — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell runs 2.8 m at 11 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 20.5 °C with air at 15.8 °C — a 3/2 shorty. The season is turning over here — the months before this one score better.
Monthly score for Jeffreys Bay, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
78
81
84
86
89
89
88
90
87
84
80
81
52%days with working wind
12 knmean daily max wind
1.8 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
18.1 °Csea temperature
17.0 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
May is effectively as good as it gets at Jeffreys Bay: 89, within 1 point of its best month (August, 90). Swell averages 1.8 m at 10 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 18.1 °C with air at 17.0 °C — a 3/2 shorty.
Monthly score for Uluwatu, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
86
85
86
90
88
93
94
94
93
91
85
89
39%days with working wind
11 knmean daily max wind
1.5 mmean swell height
12 sswell period
29.2 °Csea temperature
27.6 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Uluwatu works in May — 88 against a peak of 94 in July — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell runs 1.5 m at 12 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 29.2 °C with air at 27.6 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions.
Monthly score for Puerto Escondido, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
57
65
73
78
88
83
80
83
86
80
78
57
1%days with working wind
7 knmean daily max wind
1.5 mmean swell height
12 sswell period
29.3 °Csea temperature
27.9 °Cair temperature
Mar-Novbest run of months
May is Puerto Escondido's strongest month of the year for surfing, scoring 88. Swell runs 1.5 m at 12 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 29.3 °C with air at 27.9 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions. This is the top of the curve locally: both neighbouring months score lower.
Monthly score for Santa Teresa, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
64
63
71
77
86
80
80
81
83
81
78
64
0%days with working wind
7 knmean daily max wind
1.5 mmean swell height
12 sswell period
30.9 °Csea temperature
26.4 °Cair temperature
Mar-Novbest run of months
May is Santa Teresa's strongest month of the year for surfing, scoring 86. Swell runs 1.5 m at 12 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 30.9 °C with air at 26.4 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions. This is the top of the curve locally: both neighbouring months score lower.
Monthly score for Ericeira, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
86
86
81
87
81
80
73
80
86
92
88
87
65%days with working wind
14 knmean daily max wind
1.6 mmean swell height
9 sswell period
16.5 °Csea temperature
16.5 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Ericeira works in May — 81 against a peak of 92 in October — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.6 m at 9 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 16.5 °C with air at 16.5 °C — a 4/3 and boots.
Monthly score for Nazaré, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
84
85
81
88
81
80
74
80
87
93
86
86
62%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
1.6 mmean swell height
9 sswell period
16.9 °Csea temperature
17.0 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Nazaré works in May — 81 against a peak of 93 in October — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.6 m at 9 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 16.9 °C with air at 17.0 °C — a 4/3 and boots.
Monthly score for Bells Beach, January to December. May is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
74
79
83
79
81
73
76
72
82
75
80
74
48%days with working wind
12 knmean daily max wind
1.4 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
16.5 °Csea temperature
12.7 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
May is effectively as good as it gets at Bells Beach: 81, within 2 points of its best month (March, 83). Swell averages 1.4 m at 11 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 16.5 °C with air at 12.7 °C — a 4/3 and boots. The season is turning over here — the months before this one score better.
Le Morne, Mauritius scores highest in May at 95/100, based on ten years of ERA5 climatology scored for surfing. Its best run of months is Year-round.
Where can I surf in warm water in May?
Santa Teresa has the warmest sea among the spots that also score well in May — 30.9 °C, which is boardshorts, and shade between sessions, on a score of 86.
Is May a good month to surf?
Yes — 12 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.