Bluegraph
SIMarineUS

Wave intelligence

The systems in the sea

A buoy's single wave height hides what the sea is made of: long groundswell from a storm a thousand miles off, a closer swell, the chop of the local wind. Each buoy's measured directional spectrum is taken apart into those systems, followed through time, and used to place the storms the swells came from and to flag seas that cross.

161 of 162 stations with directional spectra analysed from their latest spectrum and the four days before it.

The wave systems in each buoy's latest spectrum, largest first, and whether each is building or fading.

39 of 162 shown

StationSystems nowSeasStorms
Bodega Bay, CA 46013 · California · spectrum 30 min ago
  • Wind sea 2.4 m · 8 s · NW new
  • Groundswell 0.9 m · 16 s · W new
—About 2150 km to the WNW (299°T)
Cape Mendocino, CA (094) 46213 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Groundswell 2.7 m · 13 s · NW building
  • Wind sea 2.0 m · 8 s · NW building
—About 4250 km to the WSW (248°T)
Cape San Martin, CA 46028 · California · spectrum 30 min ago
  • Wind sea 2.5 m · 8 s · NW
  • Groundswell 1.0 m · 16 s · ENE new
  • Groundswell 0.7 m · 16 s · WSW fading
——
Capistrano Beach Nearshore, CA 46285 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 0.8 m · 7 s · WSW building
  • Swell 0.7 m · 11 s · SSW
——
Del Mar Nearshore, CA 46266 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 1.1 m · 10 s · W building
  • Groundswell 0.5 m · 18 s · WSW building
—About 2400 km to the WSW (241°T)
Diablo Canyon, CA 46215 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 1.5 m · 8 s · WNW
  • Groundswell 0.6 m · 17 s · SW new
——
East Santa Barbara, CA 46053 · California · spectrum 30 min ago
  • Wind sea 1.5 m · 6 s · W new
  • Swell 0.4 m · 5 s · SSW new
——
Eel River, CA 46022 · California · spectrum 30 min ago
  • Swell 2.6 m · 13 s · NW building
  • Swell 1.6 m · 8 s · NNW
  • Groundswell 0.9 m · 16 s · SW new
—About 3800 km to the WNW (295°T)
Green Beach Offshore 46277 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 1.1 m · 8 s · W new
  • Swell 0.7 m · 11 s · SSW fading
—About 4250 km to the SSW (206°T)
Harvest, CA (071) 46218 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 2.1 m · 8 s · NW
  • Groundswell 0.8 m · 17 s · SSW
—About 3900 km to the SSW (198°T)
Leucadia Nearshore 46274 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 0.9 m · 8 s · W building
  • Swell 0.5 m · 11 s · SW fading
  • Groundswell 0.3 m · 16 s · SW new
——
Long Beach Channel, CA 46256 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Swell 0.7 m · 12 s · S
  • Swell 0.6 m · 13 s · NNW
  • Wind sea 0.4 m · 8 s · WSW new
——
Mission Bay West, CA 46258 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 1.8 m · 8 s · W new
—About 3100 km to the SSW (213°T)
Monterey Canyon Outer, CA (156) 46236 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 1.6 m · 10 s · WNW new
——
Monterey, CA 46042 · California · spectrum 30 min ago
  • Wind sea 2.4 m · 9 s · NW
  • Groundswell 1.1 m · 16 s · NW new
——
Oceanside Offshore, CA 46224 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 1.0 m · 5 s · W new
  • Swell 0.8 m · 11 s · SSW
——
Point Arena, CA 46014 · California · spectrum 30 min ago
  • Wind sea 3.1 m · 8 s · NNW building
  • Groundswell 0.9 m · 14 s · W
  • Groundswell 0.8 m · 15 s · ENE new
—About 3850 km to the WNW (301°T)
Point Loma South, CA 46232 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 1.6 m · 8 s · W building
  • Swell 0.7 m · 11 s · S fading
  • Groundswell 0.6 m · 16 s · SW building
——
Point Reyes, CA 46214 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 3.0 m · 8 s · NW
  • Groundswell 1.5 m · 15 s · WNW building
——
Point Sur, CA (157) 46239 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 2.2 m · 8 s · NW building
  • Groundswell 0.8 m · 16 s · WNW
  • Swell 0.6 m · 12 s · SSE fading
——
Red Beach Nearshore 46275 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 0.9 m · 5 s · W new
  • Swell 0.6 m · 11 s · SSW fading
——
San Francisco, CA 46026 · California · spectrum 30 min ago
  • Swell 2.1 m · 9 s · WNW building
  • Groundswell 1.2 m · 15 s · W building
—About 600 km to the WNW (303°T)
San Nicolas Island, CA 46219 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 3.1 m · 8 s · NW
  • Groundswell 1.3 m · 13 s · S building
——
San Pedro South, CA 46253 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 1.2 m · 8 s · W building
  • Groundswell 0.8 m · 13 s · S
  • Swell 0.4 m · 12 s · NNE new
——
San Pedro, CA 46222 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 1.5 m · 7 s · W building
  • Groundswell 1.0 m · 13 s · SSE
Crossing, 125° apart—
Santa Cruz Basin, CA 46251 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 1.9 m · 6 s · WNW fading
  • Swell 1.0 m · 11 s · S building
——
Santa Lucia Escarpment, CA 46259 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 2.6 m · 8 s · NW building
  • Groundswell 0.6 m · 15 s · S fading
—About 3650 km to the SSW (200°T)
Santa Maria, CA 46011 · California · spectrum 30 min ago
  • Wind sea 2.1 m · 8 s · NW
  • Groundswell 0.6 m · 16 s · NNW new
  • Groundswell 0.5 m · 13 s · S new
—About 2800 km to the NW (305°T)
Santa Monica Basin, CA 46025 · California · spectrum 30 min ago
  • Swell 1.8 m · 6 s · WNW
  • Swell 0.6 m · 11 s · SSE fading
——
Santa Monica Bay, CA 46221 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 1.6 m · 6 s · W
  • Groundswell 0.7 m · 13 s · SSE fading
  • Swell 0.4 m · 11 s · SW new
——
Scripps Nearshore, CA 46254 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 1.2 m · 8 s · W building
——
South Santa Rosa Island, CA 46069 · California · spectrum 30 min ago
  • Wind sea 3.2 m · 8 s · NW
  • Groundswell 1.0 m · 16 s · S building
——
Southeast Papa 46006 · California · spectrum 30 min ago
  • Swell 2.0 m · 12 s · WNW
  • Swell 0.6 m · 12 s · SSE new
——
St Georges, CA 46027 · California · spectrum 30 min ago
  • Wind sea 2.0 m · 6 s · NNW new
  • Swell 1.3 m · 13 s · WNW fading
Crossing, 40° apartAbout 3000 km to the WNW (298°T)
Tanner Bank, CA 46047 · California · spectrum 1 h ago
  • Wind sea 3.3 m · 8 s · NW building
  • Groundswell 1.2 m · 13 s · S
——
Topanga Nearshore 46268 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 0.8 m · 6 s · WSW fading
  • Swell 0.6 m · 11 s · SSW
——
Torrey Pines Outer, CA 46225 · California · spectrum 50 min ago
  • Wind sea 1.3 m · 8 s · W building
  • Swell 0.9 m · 10 s · SSW
Crossing, 70° apart—
West California 46059 · California · spectrum 30 min ago
  • Swell 1.8 m · 13 s · NW
  • Swell 1.4 m · 8 s · NNE fading
Crossing, 60° apartAbout 2250 km to the NW (314°T)
West Santa Barbara, CA 46054 · California · spectrum 30 min ago
  • Wind sea 2.3 m · 8 s · NW
  • Groundswell 0.6 m · 16 s · WSW new
——