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Conditions at Point Dume in May
May: Shoulder Season Unpredictability
May is the beginning of the shoulder season. Average swell height falls slightly to 1.1m (3.5ft), but the period remains a respectable 11.8s. Swell direction shifts more southerly: west drops to 37 percent, WSW holds at 29 percent, and southwest jumps to 21 percent with SSW at 9 percent. This is when the first consistent southern-hemisphere pulses start to compete with the tail end of the North Pacific season. Surf quality becomes more inconsistent, and the key issue is wind, with ideal conditions dropping to 46 percent, among the lowest of the year. Afternoon westerly and southwesterly sea breezes often turn the surface lumpy, but light morning winds can still produce clean, fun 2-4ft (0.6-1.2m) waves. The weather is warming: air temps average 17.1°C (63°F) and rainfall is only 0.34 mm/day. Water temp climbs to 13.8°C (57°F), so expect cool water with spring suit conditions on sunny days.
Average Spot conditions at Point Dume in May
Swell history for May
Wind history for May
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Point Dume 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 Point Dume for your next trip in May.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Point Dume 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 Point Dume.