General
onshore
What does onshore mean?
Wind blowing from the ocean toward the shore, which crumbles and disorganizes waves, creating poor conditions.
"The onshore breeze turned a promising swell into mush."
Origin
Meteorological term central to surf-condition vocabulary.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'onshore' mean in surfing?
It's wind blowing from the ocean toward the land. It crumbles and disorganises the waves, creating poor, mushy conditions.
Why is onshore wind bad for surfing?
It hits the back of the waves and knocks them over early, breaking up the face and making the surf messy — the opposite of offshore wind.
What's the difference between onshore and offshore?
Onshore blows from sea to land and wrecks the waves; offshore blows from land to sea and grooms them into clean faces.
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