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Conditions at Hermanus in May
May: Winter Gets Serious
The Southern Ocean switches on in May. Average swell climbs to 2.5m (8.2ft), period reaches 12.3s, and ideal wind percentage leaps to 37%-a massive jump from the summer months. The wind rose is now dominated by NW (16.8%), WNW (14.7%), and NNW (7.4%), with W at 8.8%; these are the classic offshore directions for Hermanus, produced by the passage of strong cold fronts across the Western Cape. The trade wind is no longer the main story. Swell energy comes mainly from SW (26.3%) and WSW (11.9%), with SSW adding 12.1%; the more southerly S/SSE/SE wind-wave/swell component is smaller but present. Rain increases to 1.46 mm/day and water temps drop to 16.6°C, but the reward is longer stretches of clean, powerful surf on the S/SSE-facing banks. This is prime time.
Average Spot conditions at Hermanus in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Hermanus 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 Hermanus for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Hermanus 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 Hermanus.