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Conditions at Good Rats in May
May: Spring Fades, Summer Builds
May marks a clear step down in energy. Average swell height drops to 5-6ft (1.7m) and periods fall to 10.2s - waves are still rideable, but they lose that winter groundswell punch. The directional distribution is still dominated by SW (27.5%), WSW (22.7%) and SSW (16.8%), yet the bulk of those swells now fall in the 1-2m (3-6ft) range, with a growing percentage of smaller, grovely 0.5-1m (2-3ft) waves.
Wind quality deteriorates noticeably. Ideal offshore flow drops to 29%, and the wind rose shows a strong sea-breeze pattern: WNW and NW winds at 10.6% and 11.5% respectively, plus a solid SSE (11.0%) component. With water temperature at 8.2°C (46.8°F) and air temps averaging 7.9°C (46.2°F), it is still a cold-water spring. Precipitation is lower at 3.6mm/day. If you time a late-season cold front with a NE wind, there are still fun waves; otherwise, expect smaller, more jumbled conditions.
Average Spot conditions at Good Rats in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Good Rats 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 Good Rats for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Good Rats 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 Good Rats.