How to Read a Surf Report: A Beginner's Guide to Better Waves

You check the app. It says 3ft at 8 seconds, wind SW at 12mph. Cool. But is that... good? Should you go? What does any of it actually mean?

I remember staring at surf reports for months before any of it clicked. Nobody explains this stuff. You're just supposed to know somehow.

So here's the guide I wish someone gave me.

The Three Numbers That Matter

Every surf report boils down to three things: wave height, wave period, and wind. That's it. Everything else is extra.

Wave Height

This one seems obvious but it's tricky.

When a report says "3ft," that's the face height of the wave — what you'd actually ride. Some apps use "significant wave height" which is a scientific measurement that often reads smaller than what you'll see at the beach.

Quick guide:

1-2ft — Beginner friendly. Mellow. Good for learning.
3-4ft — Fun for most surfers. Solid day.
5-6ft — Getting serious. Intermediate+.
8ft+ — Know what you're doing or stay on the beach.

Here's the thing though — 3ft at a steep beach break hits different than 3ft at a mellow point break. Size isn't everything.

Wave Period

This is the secret sauce that beginners ignore and experienced surfers obsess over.

Period is the time between waves, measured in seconds. It tells you how much energy is in the swell.

What the numbers mean:

5-7 seconds — Short period. Weak, choppy, wind-generated waves. The kind that crumble and close out.
8-10 seconds — Medium period. Decent energy. Surfable.
11-14 seconds — Long period. Powerful, organized waves. Ground swell. The good stuff.
15+ seconds — Very long period. Usually big, powerful swells from distant storms.

Here's why it matters: a 3ft wave at 14 seconds will be way more powerful and fun than a 4ft wave at 6 seconds. The 4ft wave will be junky wind chop. The 3ft wave will have push.

Rule of thumb: Anything under 8 seconds is usually not worth the drive. Anything over 12 seconds is worth rearranging your schedule.

Wind Speed and Direction

Wind can make or break a session.

Offshore wind — Blows from land toward ocean. Holds up the wave face, creates clean conditions. This is what you want.

Onshore wind — Blows from ocean toward land. Mushes everything out. Bumpy, crumbly, frustrating.

Cross-shore wind — Blows parallel to the beach. Not ideal but surfable.

Speed matters too:

0-5mph — Glassy. Perfect conditions.
5-10mph — Light texture. Still good.
10-15mph — Noticeable chop if onshore.
15mph+ — Probably blown out unless it's offshore.

Early mornings are usually best because wind is lightest before the land heats up.

Swell Direction: The Part Everyone Forgets

Swell direction tells you where the waves are coming from. This matters because beaches face different directions.

If you're at an east-facing beach and the swell is coming from the south, you might be in a "swell shadow" — the waves won't wrap into your spot.

East Coast basics:

E/ESE swells — Hit most beaches directly. Usually good.
NE swells — Nor'easter energy. Can be powerful but often comes with bad wind.
SE/S swells — Hurricane swells. When these hit, pay attention.

Each beach has a "swell window" — the directions it picks up best. Local knowledge helps here, or you find a forecast that accounts for it (shameless plug: we do this at Howzit).

Tides: The Timing Factor

Tides affect wave shape. Some spots work better at high tide, others at low.

General patterns:

Low tide — Waves break in shallower water. Often steeper, hollower, faster. Can close out on beach breaks.
High tide — Waves break in deeper water. Often mushier, slower. More forgiving.
Mid tide — Usually the safe bet. Most spots work.
Moving tides — Some spots are best on incoming (rising) or outgoing (dropping) tide.

Check when high and low tides are, then think about when the tide will be moving through the mid-range. That's often prime time.

Putting It All Together

Let's say you see this forecast:

4ft at 11 seconds, SSE swell, wind W at 8mph, mid tide

Breaking it down:

4ft — Solid size, fun for most
11 seconds — Good period, real energy behind it
SSE swell — Coming from the south-southeast, check if your beach picks that up
Wind W at 8mph — Westerly is offshore for east-facing beaches, light speed = clean
Mid tide — Usually works

Verdict: Go. This is a good day.

Now compare to:

5ft at 6 seconds, E swell, wind E at 18mph, low tide

Breaking it down:

5ft — Sounds big but...
6 seconds — Short period, junky wind swell
E swell — Direct, but with that wind...
Wind E at 18mph — Strong onshore. Blown out.
Low tide — Probably closing out

Verdict: Skip it. Looks bigger on paper but conditions are trash.

The Beginner Cheat Sheet

Go surfing when:

Period is 8+ seconds
Wind is under 10mph (or offshore)
Tide is mid or matches your spot

Stay home when:

Period is under 7 seconds
Wind is onshore 15mph+
Report says "choppy" or "blown out"

Best conditions for learning:

2-3ft
10+ second period (mellow power)
Light wind or offshore
Mid to high tide

One More Thing

Forecasts are predictions, not guarantees. Models disagree with each other constantly — sometimes by 2-3ft for the same spot.

That's actually why we built Howzit. We pull from three different forecast models and show you when they agree (high confidence) vs. when they're all over the place (low confidence).

Check the report, but also check the cams. And when in doubt, just go look. Sometimes the best sessions happen when the forecast looks meh.