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Conditions at Osbourne in May
May: Small Sideshore Pulses and Longer Days
May marks the beginning of the summer lull, though the swell direction data looks deceptively favorable. The average height falls to 4ft (1.2m) and the average period drops to 7.7s, so waves become shorter period and weaker. The E-ESE-SE-SSE window peaks at around 46 percent of all swell-the highest of the year-but most of that arrives as small, soft SSE (17.9 percent) and SE (12.7 percent) pulses rather than powerful groundswell. S (21.4 percent) and SSW (19.8 percent) still dominate the raw energy, yet the 0.5-1m and 1-1.5m bins are the most common, leaving the wave face fat and grovelly. Winds are increasingly influenced by springtime southwesterlies, with SW (14.3 percent) and SSW (12.4 percent) challenging the offshore W/NW flow. Still, ideal wind occurs 29 percent of the time. Water temperature rises to 5.0°C and air temperatures reach 6.6°C, while precipitation dips to 2.85 mm/day. May is best for those who appreciate clean, rippable smaller waves without the winter crowds or the freezing air.
Average Spot conditions at Osbourne in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Osbourne 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 Osbourne for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Osbourne 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 Osbourne.