A Beginner’s Glossary of Wind Words

From backing to veering, the vocabulary you will hear on every beach and forecast. Watch the clouds over the land. When cumulus starts building inland, the sea breeze is usually not far behind.

Reading the signs

Gust factor tells you how rideable a day will be. A small gap between the average and the gusts makes for a far easier session.

• Watch inland cloud building
• Check the gust factor, not just the average
• Note the pressure trend
• Keep a session log

The forecast is a rumour. The water tells the truth.

Owen Fairweather, Gustline crew

Keeping a simple log of forecast against reality is the fastest way to learn your spot.

The short version

Forecast models give you a starting point, not an answer. Local effects like valleys and sea temperature change the picture by the hour.