There are a number of options out there, but which surf forecast website is the best one?
A quality surf forecast website provides accurate estimates of surf conditions for many surf spots, has lots of useful data, and presents that data within a clean and user-friendly interface.
The most popular global surf forecast websites are Surf-Forecast.com, Magic Seaweed, and Surfline. These are reputable websites that many surfers around the world use every day.
This article contains all the information you need to find the best surf forecast website. If you’re a beginner surfer, you may want to learn how to read a surf forecast.
Most popular surf forecast websites
There are many surf forecast websites on the internet today. Some websites have surf forecasts for the entire globe, while others forecast conditions for a specific region or country.
The following table shows the most popular surf forecast websites on the internet and some of their important characteristics. Afterwards, I discuss each one in more detail.
| Website | Region | Number of surf spots * | Number of days forecast into future (free version) | Number of monthly users* | Special Features | UserFriendliness | Frequency of Forecast Data (free version) |
| Surf-Forecast.com | Global | Over 7,000 | 12 days | NA | – Wave Energy- Surf and Wind Alerts | – Dated interface – Moderate amount of ads | 3 hours |
| Magic Seaweed | Global | Almost 3,000 | 7 days | 1.5 million | – User friendly map of surf spots- Nice charts- 500+ webcams (premium version) | – Clean and modern | 3 hours |
| Surfline | Global | NA | 2 days | NA | – 800+ webcams (premium version) | – Clean and modern | 3 hours |
| Swellnet | Eastern Hemisphere | NA | 3 days | NA | – Frequent upselling to pro version – Moderate amount of ads | 6 hours |
* According to website
Surf-Forecast.com
Surf-Forecast.com is a global surf forecast with over 7,000 surf spots in its portfolio. It forecasts 12 days in advance, which is more than other free forecasts. Special features include wave energy, surf and wind alerts, and helpful maps.
This is the only surf forecast I have found that provides a wave energy parameter. Wave energy, according to Surf-Forecast.com, is often a better indicator than wave size, especially when you are familiar with your local surf spots. Learn more about wave energy on their FAQ page.
They also offer surf and wind alerts. While I have not used this feature myself, I imagine it would be quite useful if you live near the beach and want to be alerted of certain conditions.
Surf-Forecast.com also offers helpful maps of swell size, wind speed, and wave energy. These maps are helpful visualizations and are comparable to those of other surf forecasts.
The website interface is a bit dated, but it is fast and responsive. There are a moderate amount of ads, but it is still quite easy to read the forecast. They rely on ads to keep the forecast free because there is not a premium version.
Surfline
Surfline has been around since the 80s and was started in California. It is now one of the most popular surf forecasts. I couldn’t find the exact number of surf spots that it has forecasts for, but it is a global forecast site and probably has forecasts for local surf spots near you.
Unfortunately, the free version only forecasts two days in advance, which is pretty slim compared with Surf-Forecast.com (12 days) and Magic Seaweed (7 days). However, the premium version has a sixteen day forecast and access to live webcams at over 800 surf spots.
The website is modern with easy to read tables. There are also charts for wave height and wind. However, I don’t think the charts are as good as the ones at Surf-Forecast.com.
Magic Seaweed
Magic Seaweed is another global surf forecast website with over 1.5 million monthly users and forecasts for almost 3,000 surf spots. It is a popular option for surfers of all skill levels.
Users of Magic Seaweed will find free surf forecasts for over 7 days in advance. Special features include a user-friendly map of surf spots near you. The website is clean and modern, with nice tables and charts.
I actually think the charts for swell and wind are better than either Surfline or Surf-Forecast.com. The premium version offers a 16 day forecast with over 500+ webcams.
Swellnet
Swellnet is a surf forecast that I don’t personally use because it does not have surf forecasts in my region. It does have forecasts for most of the eastern hemisphere (that is, east of the prime meridian) however, the main focus of the site is Australian and New Zealand.
I spent some time looking at forecasts for different spots, and was honestly not impressed. There was very limited information (only the swell size, period, and wind speed/direction).
Unfortunately, surf forecast data is only provided by Swellnet 3 days in advance at 6 hour intervals. All of the other sites listed here have data given at 3 hour intervals.
I felt like Swellnet did not really value the user of its free forecast at least. Maybe the pro version is a different story, but I personally didn’t have a good impression.
Best global surf forecast website
So what is the best surf forecast website for surf spots around the globe? In truth, Surfline, Magic Seaweed, and Surf-Forecast.com are all good options. You can’t really go wrong if you just need a basic forecast.
That said, I think that Surf-Forecast.com is the best global surf forecast website overall. It has forecasts for over 7,000 surf spots and 12 days in advance for free, which is more than the other free surf forecasts. It is user friendly, easy to interpret, and has great charts.
The wave energy is a unique and helpful parameter that I have not seen in other forecasts. I believe Surf-Forecast.com is the best one-stop shop for your surf forecast needs.
Most user-friendly surf forecast website
Magic Seaweed is the most user-friendly surf forecast website. It is easy to navigate and find the surf forecast for your local surf spot. It has a helpful map that lets you find nearby spots.
The tables and charts are easy to read, especially for beginners. Before I found Surf-Forecast.com, Magic Seaweed was my go to forecast. I have a free account and save my favorite spots so I can check the forecast easily.
Best surf forecast phone app
Magic Seaweed also is the winner here. The app is just as user friendly as the website, and has all the same information. The app is available on iPhone and Android.
Surfline has an app also, but the free version comes with a catch. You are only allowed to check the surf forecast three times each week. Also, even to use the free version of the phone app, you have to create an account.
To me, this makes Magic Seaweed the clear winner for best forecast phone app. Surf-Forecast.com does not have a phone app.
How accurate are surf forecasts?
Surf forecasts are based on models and will never be 100% accurate. That said, they should be within reasonable margin of error of real conditions.
For example, if the wave height is forecast to be 2-3 feet, you should expect waves between 1 and 4 feet to be common. Waves 5 and even 6 feet are possible, but infrequent.
A surf forecast is really just a guideline. No surf forecast website is focusing on any specific surf spot, and each surf spot is different. This is why live webcams are so helpful.
You should become familiar with your local surf spots and try to understand how the quality of the waves are influenced by the conditions. For example, how does the swell direction, wave size, wind, period, and tides affect your local surf spot?
Most accurate surf forecast
It is hard to say which surf forecast is the most accurate, because this may change based on the conditions, time of year, and local bathymetry at surf spots near you.
The best way to tell which surf forecast is the most accurate in your area is to use multiple each time you surf. Take a screenshot of the forecast on your phone or computer, then, after you surf, record what the real conditions were.
Try to determine the conditions with your own eyes. How high are the waves? What is the period? What direction is the wind coming from?
You may find that one forecast is better than the others, or maybe they are all about the same. Overtime, you will have more data points to make your decision!
How similar are surf forecasts from different websites?
Surf forecasts from different websites are usually pretty similar in terms of their predictions. They are all using one form or another of a sophisticated model.
You might expect 1-2 feet different between one surf forecast and another, or a second or two difference in period. Overall though, they will be pretty similar.
The difference is in how the data are presented and if there are any special parameters. For example, the wave energy that Surf-Forecast.com provides.
Should you pay for the premium version of a surf forecast?
It is hard for most casual surfers to warrant the cost of upgrading to the premium version of a surf forecast website. Magic Seaweed pro version costs $100 per year. Surfline premium costs $100 per year too.
If you live near the coast and you surf a lot, it’s probably worth it to get the premium version. The main benefits are more detailed and extended forecasts (more days in the future) as well as live webcams. Most surfers just pay for premium purely for the cams, which are a huge plus to many people.
If you know that a surf forecast includes a webcam for one or more surf spots near you, then it might be worth it just for that. Check out Magic Seaweed and Surfline to see if the premium version is worth it for you.
What makes a surf forecast good?
You might be wondering: how can surf forecasts be compared against one another? What factors are used to determine which one is the best? The quality of a surf forecast can be evaluated based on the following characteristics.
Accuracy
A surf forecast should be as accurate as possible. A good surf forecast will be accurate across a wide range of conditions and different times of year.
That said, don’t get your expectations up too high. Surf forecasts are based on models and measured data, and therefore they are never 100% accurate. You should expect real conditions to vary some from a surf forecast.
For example, if a surf forecast predicts a wave height of 3.5 feet, you should expect the majority of the waves to be 3 – 4 feet. There may potentially be waves 5 or even 6 feet high, though these will likely be less frequent.
Data
A surf forecast should provide all the data you need to make an informed decision on when and where to surf!
At a minimum, the surf forecast should provide the wave size and direction, the period, the wind speed and direction, the tide times and levels, the daylight hours, and the water temperature. This information should be presented at least 3 times each day.
Some surf forecasts go above and beyond this minimum standard and report more information. Some websites offer live web-cams for certain surf spots.
A surf forecast should predict conditions at least 2 days in the future, although it is often helpful to see the conditions a week or more in advance. Just like a weather forecast, a surf forecast will be more accurate the closer it is to the current day.
The more information you have, the more informed you will be in order to decide when and where to surf. That said, simple is sometimes all you need. You don’t always need all the bells and whistles to catch some waves.
User-friendliness
A surf forecast should be user-friendly. That is, you should be able to easily and efficiently interpret the information. Charts, tables, and maps should be easy to interpret and not be overly complicated.
The website should load fast and not be cluttered with ads. If there is a premium version, you should not have to endure constant upselling.
A good surf forecast will let you find conditions for a surf spot near you quickly and without navigating through too many menus. You should be able to easily search for local surf spots near you.
Number of surf spots
The granularity of a surf forecast is how many individual surf spots have a forecast within a given region. Is there only a single surf forecast for a long coastline, or does each surf spot have its own forecast?
Higher granularity is better because you are able to see conditions for a variety of surf spots within a region. The conditions can change from one surf spot to the next even in the same region.
Other helpful websites for planning
Windy
Windy is a website and phone application that has a ton of weather-related information packed into a super clean and user-friendly map. I personally use the wind, temperature, and air quality layers a lot.
It is not super accurate at a local scale, because it is a global model, but it gives a good idea of what to expect for various weather-related information.
Wind Guru
Wind Guru is a website that focuses primarily on windsurfing and kitesurfing. It’s not a conventional surf forecast but has a ton of information about wind. It is not the most beginner friendly however, as the tables are pretty intimidating.
How to read a surf forecast
Reading a surf forecast can be tricky for beginners. Check out my in-depth guide to reading a surf forecast for beginner surfers.
Heads up! Surfing is awesome but it can be dangerous! Learn more about how to stay safe and avoid dangers while surfing. If you are a beginner surfer, check out my other articles about surfing and my ultimate guide to learning how to surf.
