What's New

We are excited to have launched one of our most requested features of all time: Wave Energy. This metric will help you fine-tune your surfing decisions by giving you more information on the swells you’re checking out and how the waves will feel at your spot.

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What is Wave Energy?

Wave Energy is a function of swell height and period, measured in kilojoules (kJ), a standard unit of energy. We show the energy that reaches your beach from deeper water offshore.

It helps you see how swell size, period and direction come together to create the waves you’ll surf. Comparing the Wave Energy on multiple days with the same surf height (e.g. 3-4ft) can highlight the effects of different underlying swells. Comparing different surf heights, you’ll notice that doubling the surf height will increase energy exponentially, which is a reminder of the power of large surf.

Energy can help you determine how the surf will “feel” and therefore, which board to take, or what to be mentally prepared for. Keep in mind that the depth of the water, the tide, and the sandbars or reef will affect how powerful the surf feels and the energy will also have an impact.

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How should I use it?

Wave Energy can give you both a guide to how waves will feel at your spot and also an aid to understanding how swell height and period contribute to creating surf at your local beach.

If you are already an experienced forecaster we think you'll find Wave Energy a great 'at-a-glance' guide to spotting swells that matter to you. If you're new to using our more advanced data, Wave Energy is a stepping stone to starting to use other swell information to really understand how different ocean conditions contribute to the waves you like to surf.

In any case, as with everything we offer, we suggest you check the forecast and get in the water yourself—the easiest and most enjoyable way to learn how to use this data is by correlating it to your direct experience.