Conditions at Banzai in May
May: The Summer Slide Begins
May marks the transition into the low season. Average wave height drops to around 2ft (0.6m), average period falls to 4.5s, and the ideal wind window shrinks to 12%. The swell spectrum still contains S (16.9%), WSW (15.4%), SW (14.1%), and SSE (11.5%), but a huge share of that is 0-1.5ft (0-0.5m) or 1.5-3.5ft (0.5-1m) local windswell. The wind pattern becomes more thermal: SSE (8.9%), W (7.3%), and WNW (7.7%) are prominent, with the offshore NNE/NE flow reduced to around 13%. Those afternoon sea breezes put a chop on the surface and make the small waves hard to ride. Water temp climbs to 18.9°C and air temp to 17.8°C, with relatively dry conditions at 1.67mm/day. Hunt for glassy mornings if you want any fun-sized waves.
Average Spot conditions at Banzai in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Banzai 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 Banzai for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Banzai 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 Banzai.