Learn

Plain-language guides to the data and physics behind every forecast on this site.

• How to Read a Surf Forecast

  A practical guide to interpreting wave height, period, direction, wind, and tides — the five numbers that determine whether to paddle out.

• Wave Period Explained

  Why wave period matters more than height for surf quality, what peak vs mean period mean, and how to interpret the numbers in your forecast.

• What Is a Swell Window?

  The range of directions from which open-ocean swells can reach a given break — how it shapes which storms produce surf and which don't.

• Best Tide for Surfing

  Why tides matter, how to read tide-stage timing, and which tides typically work for different break types.

• How Beach Orientation Affects Waves

  Why which direction your beach faces is the single biggest factor in how a given swell will arrive — and how to use it when reading forecasts.

• Reading Buoy Reports

  NDBC and CDIP buoys are the ground truth for ocean conditions. How to read them and how to translate offshore numbers to beach face heights.

• Storms and Groundswell

  How distant storms generate the ground swells that produce world-class surf — fetch, duration, and travel-time geometry.

• Surf Safety Basics

  A short, practical guide to staying safe in the water: rip currents, leash and board management, crowds and lineup etiquette, hypothermia, and big surf.

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