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Conditions at Steamer Lane in May
May: Clean but Smaller Transitions
May sees another step down in size as average swell drops to 1.8m (6ft) and period settles to 11.3s. The swell mix is still dominated by WNW (54.3%) and W (22.4%), but there is less heavy groundswell; a greater share sits in the 1-1.5m and 1.5-2m bands. Fortunately, N/NW offshore flow is strongly established - WNW 30.9%, W 20.4%, NW 20.1% and NNW 5.3% - with 74% of the time in ideal wind. This produces clean, rippable conditions more often than any winter month, even if the faces are more modest. Rain is minimal (0.59mm/day), air temp rises to 14°C and the water sits at 11.4°C, still one of the coldest months thanks to persistent upwelling. Good fun-size waves with a chance of overhead NW pulses.
Average Spot conditions at Steamer Lane in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Steamer Lane 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 Steamer Lane for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Steamer Lane 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 Steamer Lane.