Swell Science
Swell Quality Analyzer
Understand how swell period and direction affect wave quality — then check if your break is in the sweet spot.
Showing Swami's — search above to check your break
Swami's
Swell height3 ft
1 ft20 ft
Swell period11s
4s22s
Direction — W (270°)
Period quality
Mid-period swell
Decent energy — rideable but not the cleanest
11s
period
Swell window match
W (270°) - within optimal window
Swell period is the time between wave crests. Longer periods mean the swell traveled farther — those waves carry more energy and break more cleanly than short-period wind chop.
Full 7-day forecast for Swami'sFrequently asked questions
Is an 8-second swell period good for surfing?
An 8-second period is on the borderline between wind swell and groundswell. You’ll get rideable waves, but they lack the power of longer-period swells. For most breaks, 10s+ starts to feel significantly better — 12s+ is where things get exciting.
What is the difference between groundswell and windswell?
Groundswell (12s+ period) is generated by distant storms and arrives as clean, organized energy that breaks powerfully and predictably. Windswell (under 8s) is created by local winds, producing choppy, close-together waves. Beach breaks can still be fun in windswell, but reef breaks need groundswell to fire.
Why does swell direction matter for surfing?
Every beach has a geographic orientation that determines which swell directions it receives. A swell from outside a beach’s exposure window may be blocked by headlands or arrive at a bad angle, causing closeouts instead of clean, peeling waves.
What does a swell window mean?
A swell window is the range of directions that produce the best waves at a specific break. For example, a west-facing point break might fire on swells from 250–310 degrees but be poor on south swells. Quiver maps each beach’s swell window from geographic data.
Can I surf in windswell conditions?
Yes — especially for beginners and longboarders. Short-period swells still produce surfable waves, just less powerful and consistent. It’s reef breaks and hollow waves that really need long-period groundswell to show their best.
