Conditions at Niijima in May
May: Small, Clean, and Crowd-Free
May marks the beginning of the summer lull in size, but not necessarily in fun. Average height drops to 1.3m (4ft), period remains 7.4s, and the optimal directions stay prominent at 48.3% - E at 11.5%, ESE at 15.2%, SE at 13.7%, and ENE at 6.9%. The extra energy is increasingly windswell from the south, but the east quadrant is still the most common source of rideable waves.
Ideal wind jumps to 19%, the highest so far, as SW and WSW breezes become the dominant flow at 14.0% and 14.5%. These are offshore for the east-facing beaches and produce fun 2-4ft (0.6-1.2m) conditions on a groveler or a fish. When the ESE/SE swell fills in under a light WSW offshore, expect clean, rippable walls. Rain is still substantial at 6.24 mm/day, but the warmer air (19.3C) and rising water temp (20.9C) make May a favorite for stretching the session without fighting winter demons.
Average Spot conditions at Niijima in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Niijima 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 Niijima for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Niijima 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 Niijima.