About Swell Intel
Swell Intel is a surf forecast platform built for surfers who want to know the actual wave size at their local break — not just what a buoy says offshore. We provide accurate breaking wave height predictions for over 650 surf spots across the United States, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.
How We Calculate Breaking Wave Heights
Most surf forecast services display raw offshore swell data from NOAA buoys and global wave models. That tells you what the ocean is doing miles from shore, but not what the waves look like when they actually break. Swell Intel solves this by combining NOAA GFS wave model data with each spot's unique coastal bathymetry — the underwater terrain that shapes how waves shoal, refract, and break at the shoreline.
Our models account for transect bearing (the direction each spot faces the ocean), beach slope, and nearshore depth profiles to transform open-ocean swell measurements into the rideable wave heights you'll actually see when you paddle out.
What We Provide
- Hourly breaking wave height forecasts updated with every NOAA GFS model run
- Swell component breakdown — primary, secondary, tertiary, and wind swells
- Wind speed, direction, and gust forecasts with offshore/onshore classification
- Tide predictions with high and low times
- Surf quality ratings from Very Poor through Epic
- Extended forecasts up to 16 days for premium subscribers
- Interactive wave height heatmaps and swell period maps
Coverage
We cover every major surfing region in the US including California, Hawaii, Florida, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Oregon, Puerto Rico, and more. Browse all regions on our surf forecast directory.
Get the App
Swell Intel is also available as a mobile app. Download Swell Intel on the App Store for the full forecast experience on your phone.