There are lot of factors involved with predicting surf conditions. Swell, wind and tide all play a role. Some spots will break on a given set of conditions and another spot a short distance away will not.
Generally the bigger the difference between the size of the swell and the interval of the swell means cleaner, more powerful waves. For example a 6 foot 15 sec swell would typically be better than a 6 foot 8 second swell. The Northwest has spots that break on every swell direction–some better than others.
Wind can play a big part in how clean the swell is and the shape of the waves. Onshore winds usually smash down the waves and make them crumbily. Offshore winds can scoop up the waves and shape them better. The direction of the wind can make a big difference in the wave conditions too. Depending on the orientation of the beach one spot could have offshore winds while another spot close by might have more of an onshore wind direction.
The influence of the tide at certain spots can literally turn the waves off in a matter of minutes. Some spots are so tide dependent that they’ll work for a while and when the tide switches–flat. Typically most spots break better on an incoming tide. Another major influence is the change from incoming to outgoing tide. Some places break better on a big tide swing, some don’t.
What it really comes down to is each spot is unique. They all break different–different swells, different winds and different tides. You have spend the time to figure out how each spot works.
Now that i re-read this i realized that this is probably completely useless to someone who didn’t already know this stuff. Good luck!
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