Best Surf Forecast Apps for Women Surfers
Surf Gear’s Loaded… Where to Surf?
Wind, swell angle, swell direction, interval, tides, and water temps all play a role in scoring good waves.
Back in the day, surfers relied on experience, local knowledge, research, and a little luck.
Then came WaveCast by Nathan Cool through Surfer Magazine.
As computers and smartphones evolved, surf forecasting became more accessible. Surf cams, buoy readings, tide charts, and forecasting apps changed the way surfers planned sessions and surf trips. The biggest names to emerge were Surfline and Magicseaweed.
Luck still plays a part, but today’s forecast tools can seriously improve your odds of scoring waves.
More than 84% of surfers check conditions before paddling out.
Surfline
Around 65% of women surfers use Surfline as their primary surf report platform.
After acquiring Magicseaweed, Surfline became the dominant surf forecasting platform globally. With cams almost everywhere and an easy-to-use interface, it’s become the go-to app for the everyday surfer. It’ll even recommend where you should surf based on conditions.
WaveCast
An estimated 10% of women surfers use WaveCast.
Created by Nathan Cool in the mid-1990s, WaveCast has built a loyal core following, especially in Southern California. Many surfers feel it’s more accurate for local conditions because it reads like a real forecaster talking through the conditions, not just raw computer models.
WaveCast sends free forecast emails every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, with donations helping keep the reports running.
Nathan has spent more than 30 years tracking Pacific storms and forecasting surf. He recently released the book Wave by Wave, which dives deeper into understanding swell patterns and reading the ocean with more confidence.
Other Forecast Tools
About 25% of women surfers use other forecasting tools including:
Each platform has its strengths, but most experienced surfers end up using a mix of forecasts, cams, buoy data, and local knowledge before deciding where to paddle out.
Because at the end of the day, no app replaces experience in the water.
Which forecast tools are your favorites? Let us know in the comments!