forecasting.
LOTUS is our new forecasting model; the successor of LOLA. This new forecast model combines cutting edge prediction technology with NOAA’s Wavewatch III source code to give you more accurate wave forecasts.
What does Lola mean in surf?
So, you want to track swell like a forecaster? Then it’s high-time you get to know LOLA, Surfline’s proprietary buoy reporting system.NDBC collects offshore swell data and displays the dominant swell height and period. This is great for mariners, but surfers may need a bit more detail.
What does black mean on Surfline?
Each primary, secondary and tertiary swell is given its own color-coded line on the three-day graph (H), with the combined wave height indicated in black. The dominant wave period for each individual swell is indicated in the corresponding color (T) below the graph.
How do you read surf conditions?
Key factors of reading surf forecasts are:
- Swell size. The size of the wave, or swell height, is a measure in feet or meters.
- Swell period. The swell period is measured in seconds.
- Swell direction. Swell direction tells you where the swell is coming from in degrees/bearing.
- Wind direction.
- Wind strength/speed.
- Tide.
What is a surfer girl called?
There is no specific term for a female surfer. You can call a girl who surfs just “surfer”, although, there are terms like gurfer, wahine that are used to refer to a female surfer.
Why do surfers say Yew?
Another widely used term for surfers is “YEW!”, which is an indicator that a large wave has been spotted, however mostly shouted while a surfer is catching or has recently finished riding a wave.
How big is a 2 ft wave?
The Traditional scale corresponds to approximately one half the height of the wave face, i.e. a wave estimated to be 4 feet from crest to trough (or chest-shoulder high on the average surfer) would be called 2 feet.
How big is a 3 foot wave?
roughly six feet high
Thus, a “3-foot” wave is roughly six feet high (in actuality an Hm0 of ~1.8 m), i.e., head-high to a 6-foot (~180 cm) person; a “2-foot” wave is roughly four feet high (Hm0 of ~1.2 m), i.e., chest-high to such a person; and a “6- to 8-foot” wave would be 2 to approaching 3 times head-high to such a person (Hm0 of ~3.5
What was the biggest wave ever surfed?
On November 11, 2011, US surfer Garrett McNamara was towed by Andrew Cotton into a massive wave at Nazaré. At the time, the 78-foot (23,8-meter) wave entered history as the largest wave ever surfed, as acknowledged by Guinness World Records at the time.
Is a 2m swell big?
Sea waves caused by the local wind, are often superimposed on swell moving in from a distance.
Sea waves and swell.
| Height | Description |
|---|---|
| Low | 0-2 metres |
| Moderate | 2-4 metres |
| Heavy | over 4 metres |
Can you surf 1 ft waves?
As a general rule, if it’s only 1ft, it’s pretty difficult to surf on, unless you longboard or are a lightweight grom/ shredding machine!
Is a 3ft wave big?
As far as I’m concerned, three feet is the perfect size for a wave. It’s big enough that you can ride a shortboard and still have some decent faces to work with, but it’s small enough to bust out the longboard and work on your nose-riding without worrying about bouncing your head off the reef.
How do surfers say cool?
Exclamatory slang
It’s an exclamation of zeal, also meaning cool or impressive (i.e. “that bottom turn was sick bro”). Stoked: Pronounced like “soaked” but with a “T.” It means pure excitement (i.e. Surfer 1: “how stoked are you to hit the waves today?” Surfer 2: “beyond stoked”).
What do surfers call their boards?
Oftentimes the monikers have nothing to do with the shape, but just sound cool, like Bunny Chow, Dumpster Diver, Pyzalien, Padillac, Steps Killer, Pig Dog, Neck Beard and Sub Scorcher, just to name a few. Surfers will always have a knack for making up words and phrases to describe their boards.
Why do surfers say gnarly?
Gnarly means “treacherous.” An acceptable synonym is “hairy.” Surf punks use gnarly to refer to any wave over two feet or any woman of prodigious size.
Why do surfers talk weird?
“What’s key is the jaw hinge. With this surfer accent, the molars in the back are dropped further than you would think,” Vanderway tells me. “Go watch the guys in movies. They almost look… not quite slack-jawed, but there’s a widening of the mouth that changes the resonance of the words.”
What does hammer mean surfing?
To be hammered by incoming waves while paddling out.
What is a beginner surfer called?
Grom – a young and inexperienced surfer; also known as a grommet. Grubbing – falling off the surfboard while surfing. Gun – a big wave surfboard.
Can you surf 4 foot waves?
Although 2 foot waves may sound tiny, they’re perfectly surfable. In fact, what’s called a 2 footer may technically be 3 or 4 feet due to the way surfers measure wave height.
What is a Hawaiian wave?
The Hawaiian scale is an alternative wave measurement scale expressed in feet that corresponds to roughly 50 percent of the average estimated height of a wave, from trough to crest. As a result, an average surfer who believes he’s ridden a 10-foot wave has, from a Hawaiian perspective, surfed a five-to-six-foot roller.
What size waves should a beginner surf?
GOOD WAVE HEIGHT FOR BEGINNER SURFERS? Generally speaking the smaller the better — but not too small that you can’t get moving. This usually means waves in the 1.5 – 2ft range (occasionally 3ft if you’re up to it).
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