Hello StokeReporters, here's an update to the surf conditions app I posted a couple weeks ago. I added some weather data, and for those who asked, you can now scrub the timeline. I also added the ability to select different date ranges and any past date.
There are some details here: http://codebones.com/?p=53
And again, let me know if you all have any suggestions and/or problems. The feedback you guys provided before was excellent. Cheers.
Sorry dudes. I'm really not that bright. I don't get it. What's the point of this?
Don't we all want to know when the next time the surf is going to be good.... in the future.... rather than what the period, height, etc were for the last week?
hey king, i don't thing it's a question of bright. you seem plenty bright to me, but i guess we all process information in different ways.
for me, i actually find this thing pretty interesting. with all the numbers (period, height, etc) it's always hard to distill it down to what numbers make good surf. the one thing i've never been able to connect is swell direction VS wave quality at a given break.
so, i find this thing pretty cool in terms of learning patterns.
plus, i've had about 15 drinks and it's taken me about 9 minutes to write this response.
nighty night and see you in the water.
You're right on, @king. The ultimate goal for this application is to forecast the next time the surf is going to be good. But the first piece of that puzzle is to understand what conditions make the surf good. I'm envisioning a few ways this app can help.
First, the application visualizes factors like swell period, height & direction, and wind speed & direction (and soon tides). So say you have a great session on November 3rd from 1-3pm. You will be able to load the conditions for that day, see the visual, and remember the pattern. Then, when you see a similar pattern in the future, you know the surf will probably be good.
And after playing around with this application for a couple weeks, I've noticed that it's pretty easy to spot trends. You can tell when the swell is building or falling, and you can see when the swell direction is changing. And if/when I add more buoys (like Point Reyes and Half Moon Bay), the app will give a better indication when new swells are going to arrive and their size and direction.
Anyway, I hope this helps explain the idea a bit better, and as always, I appreciate the feedback. And forgive me for any missteps, misquotes, or misinformation, I've had just as many drinks as @acrarer tonight, if not more...
Buenas noches y nos vemos en el agua.
