Newport Swell Forecast Lab

Newport helps explain why two nearby beaches can feel different on the same day. Swell direction matters, wind direction matters and the shape of nearby headlands matters too. Headlands can block, bend or focus wave energy so that one stretch of coast becomes rougher, cleaner or more sheltered than another.

This is a strong stop for children who like patterns and prediction. They can begin to think like forecasters. If the swell is arriving from one direction, which beach might receive more direct energy? Which one might be partly shielded? Even simple comparisons build real physical understanding of coastal processes.