How to read a surf forecast (even if you know nothing)

You look at the forecast and see numbers, arrows and terms that make no sense. That's normal. But you don't need to be a meteorologist to know if the day will be good for surfing. Here are the essentials.

Wave height (swell height)

The number in metres. For lessons and beginners, 0.5m to 1.2m is perfect. Above 1.5m is for experienced surfers. Surf Today shows this in real time for each beach.

Period (swell period)

The time between waves, in seconds. The higher, the better:

• 6-8 seconds: Short, disorganised waves (local wind)
• 10-12 seconds: Good waves, ground swell
• 14+ seconds: Strong swell, powerful and clean waves

Wind direction

This is the most important factor for wave quality:

• Offshore (wind blowing from land to sea): Clean, smooth, perfect waves. The best scenario
• Onshore (wind blowing from sea to land): Messy waves, foam, confusion. Worst scenario
• Cross-shore: It depends. Can work or not, depending on the beach
• No wind (glass): Perfect for any level

Tide

The tide affects how waves break. Each beach works best with a different tide — the instructor knows. General rule: mid-tide (neither high nor low) is usually best.

In practice

You don't need to memorise everything. Surf Today summarises each beach's conditions with a score from 0 to 10 — the higher, the better the conditions. Simple.

Book your lesson and let the instructor worry about the forecast.