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Conditions at Pennington Bay in May
May: The Winter Sweet Spot
May continues the upward climb. Average swell height is 1.8m (5.9ft), period is a healthy 12.1s, and ideal wind reaches 27% of the time - one of the highest marks of the year. The wind distribution is much more balanced: NNW is the single largest wind direction at 12.4%, and the combined N/NW/WNW/NNW offshore sector adds up to around 31%. Onshore flow collapses to a much smaller percentage, leaving frequent clean windows for this SSE-facing beach. Swell direction broadens slightly with SW at 35%, SSW at 27% and WSW at 9%; this more westerly component can wrap around the island, providing some of the biggest, most organized lines of the autumn.
It's not summer anymore. Water temperature drops to 17.0°C, air temperature averages 15.3°C, and rainfall jumps to 1.87mm/day as low pressure systems push closer to Kangaroo Island. The trade-off is a huge gain in wave quality. May is one of the best months for surfers who don't mind a hood and a solid wetsuit.
Average Spot conditions at Pennington Bay in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Pennington Bay 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 Pennington Bay for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Pennington Bay 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 Pennington Bay.