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Even the best surfers in the world can't go surfing every day. Powerful storms might make the conditions dangerous and impossible to surf. Or the opposite might be true, and the sea could be so calm you'd struggle to see a single wave, let alone catch one. That's why surfers need to check what's going on with the waves before packing their gear and heading to the beach.
Surfline is a popular wave forecasting service that's been around since 1985, and its Surfline app is available for the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, providing surfers with a quick and easy way to check current surf conditions all over the globe.
The app provides daily updates about local conditions near you. You can also access information about wave height, live wind, weather, water temperature, and tide at any location, view long-term data to plan ahead and set up notifications for when the conditions are perfect at your favorite spots.
Anyone who's been for at least a few surfing sessions will probably already know the Surfline app is essential for forecasting the wind, waves, and more on any given day. But if you're a beginner or considering getting into the water for the first time, I highly recommend downloading it immediately.
Become an amateur meteorologist
The simple forecasts the Surfline app provides are incredibly easy to read and should give you enough information to determine whether the conditions are right for you to get out onto the water.
But plenty of other more advanced features are well worth checking, too. I particularly like the data about incoming swells, which is presented on heat maps – anytime I look at these, I feel like a meteorologist.
You can also access live feeds from 950 webcams positioned at surf breaks all over the world. Most surfers may know which details to look for from a forecast. But nothing beats seeing the waves in real-time to determine whether a trip to the coast is worth it.
Surfers will benefit the most from the Surfline app, but anyone who wants to get into the sea can learn from its forecasts, whether you're into SUP, sea swimming, or want to see how the waves might affect your walk along the coastline.
