Surfing Waves

What are the chief differences as it relates to surfing (especially longboarding)? I'm 3-4 months into my surfing journey, and want to get a better understanding of reading surf reports.

An explanation of the winds on wave conditions would be prime.

Thanks fellas

Offshore winds hold the wall of a wave up longer making it more likely to tube out. It also means you have to fight the wind when you take off so light off shore winds are good and strong offshore winds may hinder your surfing. I surf in onshore winds mostly but I am used to that. If there is a nice swell a little onshore wind doesn't hurt but strong onshore winds make the wave crumble instead of breaking in a tubular form unless it is a big swell in which case the onshore wind just makes it look bad from a distance.

As a very general rule: offshore = good and onshore = bad.
Perfect clean conditions will usually happen when there is a gentle offshore.

But as oldmansurfer says, a strong offshore wind often won't do you any favours, and a light onshore often won't be a problem.

In San Diego we get what are called Santa Ana winds, winds that blow offshore from the desert. When it's howling onshore it's blow out, when it's howling offshore it's time to grab the board and go surfing

In hot countries such as Australia and Hong Kong, sometimes onshore winds are dominant, But if you get out real early in the morning when the land is cooling (and the cold air is falling into the sea) you will get a sexy offshore wind that grooms the waves to perfection especially when theres virtually any wind at all.

Personally i love day break sessions! Perfect glass

I enjoy early as well when light off shore is good and I agree with posts above.

Friday arvo was a killer with a strong wind and it was cross shore, similar to offshore....It was peaky too and it took me the whole session of not paddling enough extra strokes to leave the water with a handful of waves thinking....mmm....gee it was windy....and whats wrong with my surfing all of a sudden...LOL.....but whilst I take my surfing seriously I try not to take myself too seriously and sometimes the session comes together and other times it doesnt, wind or no wind....but to add to the above....

Yes offshore generally provides better conditions but if its really strong it effects the paddle in and take off.....becaue it is an extra force working in the opposite direction you are paddling in...

And if you want to test that theory, stand on the beach on a really windy day with your board under your arm....the wind can really lnock a surfboard around...admittedly when the board is in the water it is flat to the water but a strong wing blowing from the direction of the land to the direction of the sea (offshore) can become an additional factor to really take into account....

For me as a person who surfs sydney, conditions are really variable and for me, as I think is the case with a lot of surfers its a case of just get out there and try not to be too fussy about the conditions....Especially in summer when its mostly onshore with north east, east or south east....

Rossa

My only complaint on offshores is when I am paddling the water sprays in my face blinding me LOL, I still love a warm day with warm offshore winds.