Green Bowls seasonal overview
Best Surf Season (December - March)
Green Bowls awakens during the heart of the Indonesian wet season as the monsoon trough shifts north, allowing the Indian Ocean to pulse with consistent, long-period groundswell. The south-facing aspect is perfectly aligned to capture the dominant SSW and SW swell trains that rumble up from the Southern Ocean. Critically, the synoptic pattern delivers a high percentage of offshore winds (N, NW, NNW) — the perfect combo for groomed, bowling lefts and rights. With average swell heights sitting in the 1.5–2.5m range and periods exceeding 12 seconds, you can expect powerful, rippable waves that hold shape from dawn till dusk.
Fair Surf Season (April & November)
These transitional months offer a mixed bag. Swell energy remains robust, but the wind regime becomes less reliable as the trade wind belt begins to shift. In April, the occasional NW flow still graces the lineup, but the SE trades start to build, raising the onshore risk. November sees the reverse — the trades are retreating, and the first offshore pulses appear. Both months deliver average 1.6–1.7m swell with excellent period, but you’ll need to pick your windows carefully, often early morning before the seabreeze kicks in.
Low Surf Season (May - October)
The southeast monsoon dominates this period, pinning the coast under relentless E–SE trade winds. These are directly onshore for Green Bowls’ south-facing orientation, turning the ocean into a choppy, messy windswell zone. Despite the swell clocking in at 1.9–2.2m with very long periods (14+ seconds), the quality is severely compromised. The small window of dawn offshore flow (from N/NW) is extremely rare — ideal wind percentages drop to 1-6%. Only the most dedicated surfers will score brief, clean sessions, and even then, the swell direction shifts south of SSW, making the lineup less consistent.
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Conditions at Green Bowls in May
May: Swell Peak, Wind Struggle
May sees the arrival of the southeast monsoon. Swell heights jump to 1.9m with a 14.1s period — the biggest and most powerful of the year. However, the wind turns against you: ideal offshore conditions plummet to only 6%. ESE and SE winds dominate (57% and 19% respectively), blowing directly onshore for the south-facing beach. The ocean becomes a choppy, bumpy mess most of the day. Only a tiny window of early morning northlies may save a session. If you catch it, the swell is XL and pumping, but be prepared to wrestle with onshore texture.
Average Spot conditions at Green Bowls in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Green Bowls 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 Green Bowls for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Green Bowls 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 Green Bowls.
