What should I look for in a surf report?

There are four key elements you need to know: wave height/swell period, swell direction, wind direction/speed, and tides. Below, I’m going to discuss every element cleary so you can easily understand what purpose they hold in a surf report, regardless of which surf report website you choose.

How do you read a surf?

How to Read a Surf Report

1. The surf report will tell you the wave height, swell period, wind direction and tide.
2. The swell direction is the angle of which a wave is approaching the shoreline from.
3. Offshore winds are ideal for surfing because the groom the waves surface and can result in a barreling wave.

How do you read a surf map?

HOW TO READ A SURF REPORT FOR BEGINNERS

1. WAVE HEIGHT. Not to be confused with swell height. Wave height represents the average size of the waves you may expect to see at the beach.
2. WIND DIRECTION. Wind direction is shown by an arrow icon.
3. TIDAL MOVEMENT.

What do stars mean on Magicseaweed?

A rating of 2 solid stars and 2 faded stars means the there is significant swell (4 stars worth) but a medium onshore wind reducing the wave quality.

What are good surf conditions for beginners?

The morning and evening are often the best times to surf because the land is cool and the offshore wind is blowing. As the day heats up, the hot air from the land rises and the cooler air from the sea comes in underneath it, creating an onshore wind or “sea breeze”. The profile of the sea-floor is also worth knowing.

What do stars mean on surf forecast?

The star rating is a scale of 1 to 10 and is based on swell size and character (bigger the swell and longer the period the higher the rating), however if the wind is onshore the star rating drops in proportion to the wind speed and the colour of the star goes pale.

What do stars mean on surf report?

Wave height is how that translates to the size of waves hitting the beach. If you’re looking at Magicseaweed, you’ll see they give the swell a rating out of 5. This refers to the quality of the waves (so 1 star would theoretically mean really poor conditions, while 5 stars would mean epic waves).

What determines wave height?

Wave height is affected by wind speed, wind duration (or how long the wind blows), and fetch, which is the distance over water that the wind blows in a single direction.

What do you need to know from a surf report?

Basically what you want to know from reading a surf report is how big the waves will be – that’s kind of the whole point really. But surf reports are a little bit more technical than that and take a bit of time to get used to and understand fully.

How can I find out the current surf conditions?

Today, surfers can find helpful information about the surf conditions such as wave height, wind direction, swell direction and the tide all by checking an online surf report. Surf Reports can give a surfer all the information needed about the current surf conditions in his or her area.

How do I know which tide is best for surfing?

Knowing which tide is best for each of your local surf spots will take some time surfing at each spot. An easy way to figure out the best tides to surf your favorite beaches or points is to ask your local surf shop or any friends who surf in the area.

Why learn how to read a surf forecast?

Taking the time to learn and understand the basics of how to read a surf forecast is a good skill to learn and will help you to put together another piece of the surfing puzzle. WHAT IS SURF FORECASTING?