The Art of the Surf Forecast

At one time or another, every surfer, at least those who care, have looked into trying to predict the surf. What will the waves be like tomorrow? It's a question every surfer has asked themselves, probably every day. We want to know when we are going to get wave, how big those waves are going to be and what will the winds be at my local beach.

Today's surfer is at a great advantage when it comes to surf forecasting. Thanks to excellent data sites like NDBC, WAMOTIS and many more, the amount of data available to the surf forecast is enormous, if not too large in scope. There's so much data to complile, compare and consider, that getting the right forecast is more about the right choices rather than the right information.

Relevant data is always going to be important for surf forecast. What good is a buoy 4,000 miles away for your home break? Does it matter and what does it matter? What influences are important and what weight should be given to different factors? It's not so simple to predict the surf, but it's not always difficult either.

In general, Western shores in the Northern Hemisphere are pretty easy when it comes to surf forecasting. Storms move from the