Conditions at Doolin Point in May
May: Clean but Small
May is the trade-off month at Doolin: the Atlantic is starting to sleep, but the atmosphere is increasingly kind. Average swell height drops to 3-4ft (0.9-1.2m) and period shortens to 9.8s, so most days feature softer, more windswell-affected waves rather than powerful groundswell. Directionally, W still leads at 31.2%, with WNW (20.7%) and WSW (19.2%) not far behind, but the height distribution leans heavily toward the 2-5ft (0.5-1.5m) range. The real upside is wind: ideal offshore conditions persist at 21%, with the ENE (6.3%) and NNE (5.1%) flows providing regular groomed surfaces. Water temps rise to 11.8°C and air to 11.3°C, with precipitation at a year-round low of 2.66 mm/day. In short, May won't serve you 8ft barrels, but it will give you clean, head-high waves with uncrowded mornings and softer edges - perfect for working the inside sections at the Point or getting your fix after a long winter.
Average Spot conditions at Doolin Point in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Doolin Point 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 Doolin Point for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Doolin Point 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 Doolin Point.