Conditions at Waimea in May
May: Trade Swell Season Begins
May locks in the summer pattern. Average wave height drops to 5.9ft (1.8m) and period to 9.2s, putting the surf in the average, punchy and rideable category. The swell rose is now dominated by ENE (32.9%), E (20.3%) and NE (17.9%), with NNE (11.2%) and NNW (6.1%) hanging on as remnants. Most waves sit in the 3.3-4.9ft (1-1.5m) and 5-6.6ft (1.5-2m) bands; the XL/XXL energy has disappeared almost entirely. Trade winds are strong, with E (39.0%) and ENE (34.9%) prevailing. Ideal offshore wind occurs 23% of the time, often early in the morning before the trades freshen. Water temperature climbs to 24.9°C, air temps average 24.3°C, and rain drops to 1.23mm/day. It is a great month for smaller-wave sessions on the North Shore, but Waimea is no longer a big-wave venue.
Average Spot conditions at Waimea in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Waimea 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 Waimea for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Waimea 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 Waimea.