Whale Beach • Statistics for May

May: Winter Swells and the Wind Finally Goes Offshore

May is a standout. The ideal wind percentage surges to 55%, with the W/NW flow well established: WSW 9.0%, W 8.7%, WNW 9.1%, NW 9.3% and NNW 8.7%. Swell height averages 1.4m (4.6ft) and period reaches 9.5s, tied for the highest of the year. The directional distribution shifts more to the south: SSE 23.9%, SE 17.6%, S 13.1%, ESE 13.5%, E 11.1% and ENE 6.8%. That means powerful Southern Ocean groundswell is arriving, and although SSE/S is not the peak optimal window, long-period south energy still wraps and breaks well at this east-facing stretch, especially when mixed with SE. The offshore W/NW winds groom it into clean, hollow peaks. Expect 3-5ft (1-1.5m) surf as the baseline, with bigger 5-6.5ft (1.5-2m) sets on the better days. Water temp drops to 20.8°C, air temp to 15.3°C and precipitation is a low 2.0mm/day - time to reach for a good 3/2 wetsuit.