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Conditions at Cronulla in May
May: Winter Swell Engine Switches On
May sees the Southern Ocean storm track align with the NSW coast. The average swell height holds around 5-6ft (1.7m), but the average period reaches 9.7 seconds, the highest of the year. SE, SSE and S swells combine for nearly half of the wave energy, with SSE alone at 20.9%. These are real groundswells, often in the 1.5-2.5m (5-8ft) range, and they push hard into the Cronulla banks.
Wind quality is excellent for an east-facing beach. Ideal offshore wind blows 39% of the time, and SW, WSW, W and WNW winds total over 30% of the observations. This sets up a classic winter pattern: westerly mornings, 5-6ft (1.7m) of S/SE groundswell, and glassy conditions before the seabreeze arrives. Air temperatures drop to 17.1°C and water temp falls to 20.6°C, so a spring suit is needed, but the payoff is far more consistent, hollow surf.
Average Spot conditions at Cronulla in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Cronulla 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 Cronulla for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Cronulla 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 Cronulla.