MSW vs. Surfline Wave Heights

JeffRSpicoli

Nep status
Aug 9, 2019
572
695
93
Thoughts on the discrepancies between the two reports.

I realize they run their models at different times and have different variables, but their waves heights are always different.

Two screen shots of a spot, looking at Tuesday 4/26 for example 10ft max obviously for Surfline and MSW 4-6ft
-I was at this spot last year an only had MSW at the time, on one day the MSW report said 6-8ft, day turned out to be huge with wave faces of 10-12ft, which, post surf, someone with Surfline said that is what it showed.

Anyone figured this out, I mean this is huge variation and seems always consistent b/t the two reports.

And gotta add Surfline has way to much data for me...just sum it up for Christ sake, nine swells in the water, blah blah blah
 

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Sharkbiscuit

Duke status
Aug 6, 2003
26,270
19,096
113
Jacksonville Beach
For Florida, at least in the past, there was way too much 15-20 foot going on with Magic Seaweed. It just doesn't happen unless the hurricane is actively hitting and two choplumps constructively interfere.

The guy whose place I stayed in El Salvador said Surfline was always wrong and to use Magic Seaweed. Surfline (for me) generally appeared to be within a couple hours on calling SoHemi swells.

Personally I really like the detail on Surfline. Mix at high tide is the difference between everywhere working and the 50 yards on the South Side of the Pier with 80 people hassling and burning being the only game in town.

Same for low tide in South Brevard. 3 @ 10 = closed out. 1@10 x 1@12 x 2@8 = you might do a turn that day.
 

PJ

Gerry Lopez status
Jan 27, 2002
1,022
733
113
Shrub Oak,N.Y.,USA
Thoughts on the discrepancies between the two reports.

I realize they run their models at different times and have different variables, but their waves heights are always different.

Two screen shots of a spot, looking at Tuesday 4/26 for example 10ft max obviously for Surfline and MSW 4-6ft
-I was at this spot last year an only had MSW at the time, on one day the MSW report said 6-8ft, day turned out to be huge with wave faces of 10-12ft, which, post surf, someone with Surfline said that is what it showed.

Anyone figured this out, I mean this is huge variation and seems always consistent b/t the two reports.

And gotta add Surfline has way to much data for me...just sum it up for Christ sake, nine swells in the water, blah blah blah
I found the same thing the last couple of weeks when I was in Honolulu. I'm using the Dawn Patrol app on my Iphone and Apple watch which I think pulls data from Surfline and some days it showed 5 feet when Magic Seaweed showed 1.5 feet and Surfline seemed wrong (too high) but then there actually was the odd 5 foot wave. I thought maybe the front/back wave thing but the differences were inconsistant. I was baffled. Could Surfline be showing the highest odd wave and Magic Seaweed more the run of the mill wave?
 

sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
5,857
11,267
113
San Diego
Significant wave height vs HR model coastal wave heights.

i can be pretty different what is offshore and what actually hits a pocket of coast.
 

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
11,990
22,531
113
PNW
I've been using surf-forceast.com for the past couple years and prefer it to either MSW or Surfline.

For my area, anyways.
 
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flyinraptr

Michael Peterson status
Dec 18, 2008
2,804
1,444
113
San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
I've been using surf-forceast.com for the past couple years and prefer it to either MSW or Surfline.

For my area, anyways.
I use it in addition to Surfline and MSW ...... i like the "Energy" forecast .... helps with deciding which board to ride on that given day. Also - gives the forecast further out than Surfline without having to pay for premium.
 
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JeffRSpicoli

Nep status
Aug 9, 2019
572
695
93
I've been using surf-forceast.com for the past couple years and prefer it to either MSW or Surfline.

For my area, anyways.
That's a good call, I'll check it out, my local has the next few days on their cam page using surf-forecast and over the past couple of years I've noticed it does seem more accurate vs. what MSW is telling me.

I just recently subscribed to Surfline for an upcoming trip, I have to say, I really like this multi cam feature Surfline has, like running mission control.
 
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mundus

Duke status
Feb 26, 2018
36,724
15,942
113
I prefer magic seaweed over surfline for NJ, less overcalls. All you really need is NOAA buoy reports and forecasts anyway.
 

000

Duke status
Feb 20, 2003
26,018
7,171
113
whats weird is how the same bouy has different readings for different websites
 

trifish

Gerry Lopez status
Sep 23, 2009
1,338
3,791
113
Shred City
I like the idea behind that lazysurfer app. You rate your session and it logs the buoy info, wind, swell etc...at the time for that location. Than more times you surf there and log/rate, the more accurate it is. Works pretty well and I can drop comments on my logs incase I wish I had a different board or something that day. Some of the spots I surf are super finicky and surfline/msw are almost always wrong so this works much better for me.
 
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LifeOnMars

Michael Peterson status
Jan 14, 2020
3,164
2,106
113
msw always undercalls and sometimes a day early
surflie will tell you it's good to epic when it's just another decent day
 

TangTonic

Nep status
Feb 24, 2011
775
626
93
I mention buoys to people here and I get confused looks. Closest buoy to me is 170 NM away so a good 8 hours or so for wave travel time. That makes the buoy the best forecast tool and real time indicator for anything within 8 hours.

After you watch the buoys for years on end, you know what swells do what and where to go.

Why would you gt buoy data anywhere other than NDBC?
 

theramrod

Nep status
Nov 14, 2014
605
825
93
N Cackalaki
I mostly use Buoyweather.com for my local. I can combined the detailed swell forecast that has swell height, direction and period with the wind forecast and figure out when/where I want to surf. With a subscription it forecasts out to 16 days although I don't put too much weight past 4 days for things change all the time. None of that green, yellow, red crap just numbers.