Inches
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Hourly
Timezone: America/Puerto_Rico
โฑ๏ธs.
โšก๏ธkJ
Tuesday 21
Wednesday 22
Thursday 23
Friday 24
Saturday 25
Sunday 26
Tap a forecast cell to explore conditions on the map.

Inches surf guide

Inches is a surf spot located just outside Patillas along Route 1. It's known as one of Puerto Rico's go-to summer locations, especially for those looking to catch some decent waves. The spot shines on hurricane swells and offers good lefts that stretch about 100 yards long. Keep in mind that it's called Inches for a reason โ€“ the waves often break in just a few inches of water near the shore. The nearby mountains help to shift the northeast trades into an offshore breeze, which is a nice perk. Though, it can be a bit tricky because the spot shifts around, that can help to spread out the crowds.

The surf here really works best with south to southeast swells, and it can handle swells ranging from 4ft to 8ft (about 1.2m to 2.4m). It's known for its shallow coral bottom and the waves break as lefts over a reef point. When conditions are right, you can get some pretty rippable and even barreling rides, but it predominantly caters to those with at least some experience. It's good for all skill levelsโ€”beginners, intermediates, and expertsโ€”especially when the tide is low or in the low to mid range.

Access to the spot is straightforward; you can park right there. The crowd factor is pretty spread out, which is nice. Locally, the vibe isnโ€™t too bad, making it a decent place to surf and hang out. Just keep an eye out for that fire coral while you're enjoying your session, as that's a hazard here. The best time to hit Inches is during summer and fall, particularly after a tropical cyclone passes south of the island.

Surf reports and surf forecasts nearby Inches

Margara
Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Reef break
Tue 21
Wed 22
Thu 23
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
Los Tubos
Manati, Puerto Rico
Reef break
Tue 21
Wed 22
Thu 23
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
La Ocho
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Reef break
Tue 21
Wed 22
Thu 23
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Reef break
Tue 21
Wed 22
Thu 23
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
Chatarra
Loiza, Puerto Rico
Reef break
Tue 21
Wed 22
Thu 23
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
Aviones
Loiza, Puerto Rico
Reef break
Tue 21
Wed 22
Thu 23
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
Tocones
Loiza, Puerto Rico
Reef break
Tue 21
Wed 22
Thu 23
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
La Pared
Luquillo, Puerto Rico
Beach break
Tue 21
Wed 22
Thu 23
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
La Selva
Luquillo, Puerto Rico
Beach break, Reef break, Point break
Tue 21
Wed 22
Thu 23
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1
Inches
Patillas, Puerto Rico
Reef break, Point break
Tue 21
Wed 22
Thu 23
Fri 24
Sat 25
Sun 26
Mon 27
Tue 28
Wed 29
Thu 30
Fri 31
Sat 1

Readme

Welcome! If youโ€™re new to surf forecasting, check out this quick guide.

Forecast Table

The forecast table (the section on the page with all the numbers) is designed to pack as much information in the screen as possible. Although intimidating at first, it will help you make informed decisions about the waves faster, trust me :D. The table consists of roughly four sections, time and predictions, wind, waves, and tides:

๐Ÿ”ฎ Time and predictions section

Here we show the forecast thour and the overall surf quality prediction. This is determined based on the wave, wind and tide quality prediction. These individual predictions can be found on the forecast map.

๐Ÿ’จ Wind section

The first row on the table (with the ๐Ÿ’จ icon) shows wind speed, direction and gust. The more the wind speed the more aggressive the color (from blue, green, orange to red).

๐ŸŒŠ Wave section

The waves section consists of three rows, one for wave height and direction, one for period and one for wave energy. Our algorithm choices the "dominant wave". This is normally the first swell partition, but with heavy local storms it displays the wind waves. If that's the case, we display the numbers in italic and in gray.

๐ŸŒ’ Tide section

The tide section consists of a row with the actual heights per hour (measured at the half hour) and a table that displays the flow of the tide and the extremes (lows and highs).

Forecast map

The forecast map consists of arrows. These arrows represent all wave partitions (swell partitions and wind wave partition) and the wind. This allows you to see things like: a secondary swell or wind waves messes up the surf, or the wind is just a tick offshore so very surfable. Click a metric label in the bottom left to bring that arrow to the front โ€” handy when arrows overlap.

Forecast Cheat Sheet

Short on time? Focus on wave energy. Itโ€™s the best single metric to gauge how big and powerful the waves will be.

Click any table cell to jump to that forecast hour. The map will update with forecast arrows, so you can see if wind and swell direction are lining up.

Use the table sidebar to switch units for height and speed.

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Models and Updates

Surfnerd blends multiple global and local wind and swell models using advanced interpolation and spatial techniques to create an "ensemble" forecast. Forecasts are refreshed hourly.

Surf Predictions

Our AI-driven algorithm scores surf quality, shown by green, orange, and gray dots. Each forecast hour is rated for wind, swell, and tide quality, then combined into an overall score. Hereโ€™s the scale:

Perfect
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Bad or No Data

Session logs also feed the algorithm โ€” the more you log, the smarter your forecasts get.

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Wind certainty

Wind certainty tells you how much the weather models agree on the forecast.

  • High certainty: Models agree closely; forecast is reliable.
  • Medium certainty: Some disagreement; conditions may shift slightly.
  • Low certainty: Models diverge; treat forecast with caution.

We calculate this by comparing wind speed, gust and direction from multiple models (like GFS, ECMWF, Arome, and Harmonie) and seeing how closely they match. They are weighted, meaning that some models count more than others, depending on how good they are for a certain spot.

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