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(Previous) 03/27/2006 (Next)
Long Range Swell Forecasting Tips.
So, you're all set to go to Costa Rica in a couple of weeks, but you're not sure what type of surf to expect. Where, exactly, can you find that information?
Continued below...
A great pleace to start is with the LOLA Swell Tracking Maps.

These maps will break down multiple upcoming swell events into primary, secondary, and tertiary energy up to twelve days in adavance. Furthermore, they'll give the deepwater swell height (H), period in seconds (T) and direction in degrees (D)for each event. That way, you'll know whether to head to a south or north facing break, or possibly a beach that picks up the combo energy for a few hollow A-frames.

But wait, that's not all...a couple of other great resources for long range swell predicitions are Surfline's Central America forecast or the Surfline Charts

Use all three and you're sure to score.
-Kevin

Like what you see here? Want to get this type of detailed forecast information on a daily basis, for every major surf region on earth? Then SIGN UP NOW for a Surfline Premium Membership. (First month's free.)

WHAT IS LOLA?

LOLA is the world's only automated global surf forecasting tool. LOLA can forecast waves right down the street, or it can predict surf conditions at the top spots around the globe - breaks like Tavarua, Tahiti and Jeffrey's Bay.

LOLA uses the NOAA Wavewatch III engine (running on our own computers) with Surfline-modified data from various wind models (AVN, GFS, MRF). Then LOLA combines this information with empirical data we've programmed into her gained from over 30 years of surf and weather analysis here at Surfline.

LOLA also gathers real-time data from offshore buoys to measure wave pulses from storms around the world every hour. She taps into orbiting satellites to measure hurricane-force winds and tremendous wave heights in the heart of raging storms when huge ships are running for cover. She computes near-shore wave animations measuring detailed wave heights along the coast, taking into account how swells are distorted by offshore islands and the continental shelf.

When you add it all up, LOLA is the ultimate forecasting tool for surfers looking for timely, accurate and comprehensive information about waves.

Initially, we created LOLA as a proprietary tool for Surfline forecasters. But we decided to share the knowledge and give Surfline's Premium Members the chance to use LOLA themselves, to give them the best chance to score more good surf more often.

Not a Premium Member? Then CLICK HERE for a free LOLA demo.

If you are already a Premium Member, please proceed straight to the LOLA home page.