Rob Mitstifer specializes in forecasting surf along the U.S. East Coast, particularly New Jersey, Long Island, and the Outer Banks. His passion for wave science and meteorology started at an early age and eventually led him from operational forecasting roles into the surf industry. Today, he combines technical forecasting expertise with a lifelong obsession for understanding waves and weather.
As a Penn State meteorology graduate, Rob has become a key contributor to Surfline’s event forecasting efforts. One career highlight was accurately forecasting finals day conditions for the 2022 Oi Rio Pro, while another was joining the live broadcast during the 2025 MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal. Friends and coworkers still joke that he’s been giving presentations about surf forecasting since middle school—and they’re not far off.
