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Conditions at Gunnamatta in May
May: Long-Period WSW Energy and Cooler Mornings
May is right up there with April. Average height holds at around 5ft (1.5m), and the wave period extends to 12.6s, firmly inside the powerful long-period category. The swell is now noticeably more westerly: SW drops to 43.9%, WSW jumps to 17.9%, and W adds 6.2%. This broadens the exposure window for the southwest-facing coast and often produces heavier, more west-based lines. The 5-6.5ft (1.5-2m) class remains well represented, with solid SW and WSW contributions in the 6.5-8ft (2-2.5m) range too.
Wind conditions are still favorable on average, with ideal offshore winds at 21%. The dominant wind direction, however, is NNW at 16.3%, including a meaningful share of 30-50kph observations. That is the classic pre-frontal northwesterly and it can chop the surface. When the ridge builds behind the front, NE/E offshore flow returns and the long-period swell becomes clean and rippable. Water temperature cools to 15.4°C, air averages 14.1°C, and rainfall rises to 2.13mm/day. Time to pull out the thicker wetsuit.
Average Spot conditions at Gunnamatta in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Gunnamatta 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 Gunnamatta for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Gunnamatta 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 Gunnamatta.