Warner Beach • Statistics for May

May: Winter Groundswell and Offshore NW Mornings

May is one of Warner Beach's best months of the year. Ideal wind conditions hit 58%, average wave period pushes up to 10.4s, and the swell height holds at 5-6ft (1.7m). The wave direction shows a distinct jump in S 22% and SSE 19% swell, while SE/E/ESE still contribute plenty of the exposed E/SE window. More importantly, the height distribution expands: S and SSE both produce notable 5-6ft (1.5-2m) and 6-8ft (2-2.5m) waves, a clear sign of strong Southern Ocean storm activity reaching the coast.

Wind-wise, May is a game-changer. WNW flow jumps to 17%, with NW, NNW and W adding another 22%, so offshore and cross-offshore mornings are common. This is the classic early-winter pattern: high pressure over the interior drains cool air to the coast at night, producing glassy or light-offshore conditions before the sea breeze builds. Rainfall drops to just 1.25mm/day, water temperature is 23.4°C, and air temps are crisp on the edges at 16.4°C. Grab a 3/2 wetsuit and point your board at the peaks.