offshore wind

Land-to-sea wind, loved by surfers. Unless it's overpowering (about 20 miles per hour or stronger), an offshore breeze will groom and clean the surf, and hold the curl up so that it's more likely to pitch into a tube. It also lends a dreamy quality to the wave zone.

Offshore winds are common during the early morning hours in California and Australia; in Indonesia and other tropical surf zones, offshores will often pick up in the late morning and hold through the afternoon. Santa Anas (or San...