The best place to go to find out the wave conditions at your local site if you’re planning to catch some waves this weekend is (shock horror) the internet.
Because there are so many websites dedicated to surf forecasting, the formerly elusive knowledge about the greatest surf spots in your neighborhood is now easily accessible and just a few clicks away.
We list the top surf forecasting websites in this extensive guide. We cover a wide range of topics, including the kind of report information each site provides, the geographies it covers, and practical pros and drawbacks lists. You will therefore be able to choose the website that best meets your needs for surf forecasting, even if you are a beginner at catching waves.
1. Surfline
The idea for Surfline came from the late Sean Collins, and it is deserving of the top rank on our list for a variety of reasons.
Millions of novice and experienced surfers have used Surfline since its launch in 1985 to find the current and upcoming surf conditions. This website is well-known in the surfing community and is regarded as one of the biggest and busiest surf forecasting websites in the world.
Surfline, a Southern California-based company, provides thorough wave information to surfers all around the world. Some locations provide hourly updates, so you always know exactly how the waves are acting.
Surfline’s user-friendly interface makes it possible to assess surf conditions while on the go. Additionally, a more thorough prediction is available that enables you to research current wind and tidal conditions. The World Surf League (WSL) uses Surfline as its official surf forecasting resource, which, if nothing else, attests to the efficacy and precision of Surfline’s models.
Pros
- A live webcam
- Easily navigable interface
- There are many surf places accessible.
- travel manuals
- provides a variety of upscale packages
Cons
- Can become sidetracked by the abundance of knowledge
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Seaweed magic
Magicseaweed, based in the South West of England and established in 2002, is regarded as one of the biggest and most popular surf report Surfing Websites worldwide.
You can check out a tonne of forecasting data, maps, and other helpful information about your local surf breaks on the Magicseaweed platform. For locations you want to visit anywhere in the world, the search tool is also really simple to utilize.
Magicseaweed’s creators have made it simple to understand their charts. with a one to five rating system for the conditions, red to orange color-coded wind directions, green, and green.
Pros
- Surf Cams are offered.
- has comprehensive weather and swell information
- Easily navigable
Cons
- Inconsistent wave height calculations in advertisements
- WindGuru
A very thorough site for wind and weather forecasts is Windguru. Vaclav Hornik started Windguru in the late 1990s with a focus on wind and kite surfers. Due to its “at a glance” nature, it is a frequently visited site by all kinds of surfers. It provides reports for many places throughout the globe.
To utilize the site, choose the area for which you require data, and Windguru will display a full graph with all the pertinent data, including the size and direction of the swell as well as the wind gusts and sea temperature. The Spot Map is one of the fantastic features that we enjoyed. You may choose any location on the earth and get the best forecasts for that week by using this.
For the skilled surfer in need of additional information, Windguru’s Pro version offers ad-free usage, unrestricted access to all forecasts, and a very competitive price.
Pros
- Hourly, extremely comprehensive forecast using live swell buoys
- has a Premium subscription that unlocks a number of features, such as the capability to add a personal surfing location.
Cons
- Not appropriate for newcomers
- No live video
- The enormous amount of data and numbers
- SwellNet
Ben Matson launched Swellnet, a reputable and long-standing surf forecasting website for Australian surfers, in 1998 as a weather blog. Many Australian breaks have a daily breakdown provided by a local surfer in the observation function, so you can trust the data.
Swellnet’s long-range surf forecasting is outstanding, but the site has an “old-school” feel to it because of the observation element noted above, which doesn’t just rely on forecasting models and algorithms.
However, there are surf reports and a tonne of information on well-known surfing locations used by Australians, including Indonesia. Outside of these regions, there are fewer details and no coverage for the Americas.
Pros
- A more practical approach to surf forecasting
- Free access to daily surf reports, surf cameras, and five-day forecasts
Cons
- Minimal worldwide information because it is tailored to Australian surfers.
- The Americas have no reports.
- Surf2Surf
Surf2Surf is a region-specific Surfing Website that only focuses on New Zealand, similar to Swellnet. The finest option for all your surfing needs is thought to be Surf2Surf if you’re organizing a surfing trip to New Zealand.
For all the major surf locations in New Zealand, Surf2Surf offers predictions and reports that are elegantly presented and simple to interpret.
Despite the clear disadvantages of region-specific surf broadcasting websites, it is important to note that due to the highly specialized reporting, the accuracy for particular locations is very high.
Pros
- Have a friend Surfing in New Zealand: A Guidebook
- The cost of the Premium version is fair.
- Has an accompanying S2 app for users of Apple and Android.
Cons
- The site just offers a teaser for free.
- Unsuitable for users seeking global surf forecasts
- Windfinder
One of the most exquisitely bright homepages we’ve ever seen belongs to Windfinder. This color represents the speed and direction of the world’s winds, so it’s not just for show. For more than 45,000 sports all across the world, there are predictions and reports.
21,000 weather stations are used to produce the data for Windfinder. Real-time data on variables like wind speed, direction, air pressure, and temperature is available.
Similar to Windguru, only swell height and direction are shown for waves on Windfinder. The fact that it provides free access to wind statistics, predictions, and updates, however, makes it a priceless tool for trip planning and choosing the optimum spot to catch the wave.
Pros
- Accurate data updated hourly; user-friendly
Cons
- There are no live cameras at surf breaks.
Summary
There is a veritable gold mine of knowledge available to surfers, most of it freely accessible. With the advancement of technology, we are able to predict weather conditions with more accuracy, allowing surfers to catch more waves than before.
The days of surfers looking intently for pressure charts or wind directions on the weather forecast on TV are long gone. Surfers new and old can now find the waves they want thanks to great innovators like the late Sean Collins, the founder of Surfline, and mountains of data and algorithms.
Websites and The Met Office UK are included on this list since they can be crucial for those of us who desire a stronger meteorological edge in our surf forecasts. Even more detailed video courses are available on the Met Office UK website.
There are several advantages to smaller regional services, even while high-flying premium sites like Surfline and Magicseaweed are pushing the surf forecasting edge. They give us the chance to learn more about the dynamics of our surf zones, first and foremost.