Seasons & Weather
The Swell Arrives From a Storm You Never Saw
Waves outlive the wind that made them and travel for days, which is why a blue sky can come with a closed beach.
Seasons & Weather
Wind, swell, shoulder seasons and when a coast is at its best.
21 articles · updated August 11, 2026 · page 1 of 2
Seasons & Weather
Shoulder Season on a Coast Is a Services Question Before a Weather One
The months either side of peak often have better conditions, and the real variable is what is open rather than what the sky does.
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Seasons & Weather
On a Coast, Wind Direction Matters More Than Wind Speed
The same twenty knots can be a perfect day or an unusable one depending entirely on which way it is coming from.
Seasons & Weather
Onshore and Offshore Wind Change the Beach as Well as the Water
The direction of the breeze decides where the sand goes, how clear the water is and whether an inflatable is a hazard.
Seasons & Weather
Sea Fog Turns Up on the Warmest Days of the Year
Warm air moving over cold water condenses, which is why a coast can be grey and cold while ten kilometres inland is sunny.
Seasons & Weather
September Beats July on a Lot of Coasts
Warmer water, quieter beaches and more settled weather often coincide well after the peak weeks have finished.
Seasons & Weather
Storm Season Closes Paths and Ferries Before It Closes Anything Else
The first things a coastal storm removes are the connections, and they come back more slowly than the weather does.
Seasons & Weather
On Monsoon Coasts the Sea Closes and That Is a Rule
Where a wet season brings sustained onshore wind and heavy surf, swimming bans are safety measures rather than formalities.
Seasons & Weather
A Winter Coast Is a Different Place and the Light Is Why
Low sun, long shadows and short days change how a shoreline looks and how a day on it has to be structured.
Seasons & Weather
Spring and Neap Tides: Why the Week You Choose Matters
Tidal range swings on a fortnightly cycle, and it changes how much beach exists, how strong the currents run and what you can reach.
Seasons & Weather
Cyclone Season Windows and What Shoulder Really Means There
On tropical coasts the shoulder season sits against a hazard season, and the trade-off is different from a temperate one.
Seasons & Weather
Coastal Heat Is Not the Same as Inland Heat
The breeze that makes a beach feel comfortable also removes every warning signal your body normally gives you about sun and…