Off-The-Wall seasonal overview
Best Surf Season (October - March)
The North Pacific winter machine roars to life, bringing powerful, long-period swell from the NW and NNW directly into the Off-The-Wall exposure. Average wave heights hover in the 2.4m to 2.7m range with periods consistently exceeding 11 seconds, often cranking into the 15-19s very powerful category. This deep-water energy wraps around the North Shore and unloads with serious punch. Offshore winds from the SE through SW quadrant, while less frequent, occur up to 27% of the time, setting up glassy, hollow conditions. This is when the spot lives up to its name – waves stand up tall and offer that signature barrel.
Fair Surf Season (April, May, September)
As the Aleutian low-pressure system weakens, swell heights drop to the 1.7m - 2.2m range and periods shorten to 9-10 seconds. The dominant swell direction shifts to NE and ENE, which are not ideal for Off-The-Wall's NW orientation, producing more walled-up, less focused waves. However, occasional late-season NNW pulses or early autumn NW swells can still light things up. Offshore wind frequency sits around 16-24%, making for cleaner but less consistent surf. It's a solid window for intermediate to advanced surfing on good days.
Low Surf Season (June - August)
Summer trades dominate, and Off-The-Wall goes into a deep slumber. The swell drops to a meager 1.6-1.7m average with periods barely scraping 8 seconds, resulting in weak, mushy waves. Nearly all the energy comes from the ENE (over 50% of the time), a direction that generates poor wave shapes here – usually closeouts or soft shoulders. On top of that, onshore and cross-shore winds from the E and ENE blow the vast majority of the time, with ideal offshore wind (SE-SW) occurring just 10-14% of the months. This is the time to explore other spots, tune your groveler, or simply wait for the first autumn storm to reawaken the lineup.
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Conditions at Off-The-Wall in May
May: Groveling Season
Average swell drops further to 1.8m with a period of 9.2s. The swell direction shifts hard to ENE (32.9%) and E (20.3%), which offer little to the NW-facing point. The mix also includes NE (17.9%) and NNE (11.2%), none of which light up the spot. Wave heights in the 1-1.5m and 1.5-2m range dominate, meaning mostly grovelers and fun-size logs. Wind is overwhelmingly from E (39.0%) and ENE (34.9%), with offshore directions (SE-SW) totaling just 21%. If you find a day with a southerly breeze and a rogue NW pulse, it's worth the paddle-out.
Average Spot conditions at Off-The-Wall in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Off-The-Wall 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 Off-The-Wall for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Off-The-Wall 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 Off-The-Wall.
