Current conditions updated daily at 6am, 10am, and 2pm. We pull data from the CDIP network of offshore buoys and combine it with local observation from our team in the water every morning.
How to read the report
Swell height is measured at the buoy, not the beach. Expect breaking waves to be roughly half the reported swell height at most breaks, though this varies significantly with underwater topography and tide.
Period (seconds between waves) matters as much as height. A long-period swell of 16 seconds or more produces powerful, well-organized waves. Anything under 10 seconds tends toward chop.
Wind direction is everything for surface conditions. Offshore winds — blowing from land to sea — groom the wave face and hold up the lip. Onshore winds create choppy, difficult conditions. Check the wind before you check anything else.