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Conditions at Motunau Beach Island in May
May: Winter Overtakes the Coast
May is the first full month of winter-grade surf at Motunau. Average period peaks at 11.2s and average swell height sits at 1.3m (4-5ft), but the real story is the south component: S swell reaches 14.4 percent and SSW adds 4.4 percent, giving Motunau more exposure to true Southern Ocean groundswell than at any time since the previous winter. At the same time, ideal offshore wind conditions are present 53 percent of the time, with the NW/NNW flow providing frequent clean windows. With water temps now at 12.7°C, a 4/3 suit is still solid, but the upcoming winter cold is close; the quality of the waves more than makes up for it.
Average Spot conditions at Motunau Beach Island in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Motunau Beach Island 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 Motunau Beach Island for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Motunau Beach Island 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 Motunau Beach Island.