How we forecast dive conditions
A regional weather forecast can’t tell you whether one dive site is diveable. That depends on how the site’s own coastline, orientation, and depth handle the swell and wind on the day. DiveConnect computes conditions for every site in the catalogue — 32,000+ of them — from operational ocean models, adjusted to each site.
What we show for each site
Refreshed daily across the whole catalogue: an overall dive verdict — Good, Fair, or Rough, with a score and a one-line reason — the best window in the day, an hour-by-hour outlook, and a three-day forecast, alongside the underlying readings: swell (height, period, and compass direction), wind (speed and direction), an indicative surface current, water temperature (a live reading where available, otherwise the seasonal typical, clearly flagged), tides where a per-site source exists, and sunrise and sunset. Every value is read at the site’s own location, not a nearby city.
Built on Copernicus Marine
Our conditions are built directly on the Copernicus Marine Service — the European Union’s public operational ocean-forecasting system — rather than a resold third-party weather API. Every site is sampled at its own point in the global wave and ocean-physics models, so the numbers describe that site.
Sheltered and nearshore sites
Global ocean models resolve the open sea cleanly but treat the coastline coarsely — and most dive sites sit exactly where that resolution runs out. For sites in sheltered bays, coves, and nearshore water, we add a physics layer that carries the offshore sea state onto the site using the local seabed shape and how the surrounding coastline shelters it from each direction. These readings are labelled as modelled estimates and carry a confidence level, so a modelled value is never presented as a directly-resolved one.
How accurate it is
We check our forecasts against independent offshore buoys and publish what we measure, rather than asserting a number. Comparing the nowcast — conditions for the current period — against nearby buoys, wave-height error is on the order of 0.2 m where buoys are available, and accuracy naturally softens further out in the forecast. It is highest at sites the models resolve directly and lower at sheltered nearshore sites — which is exactly why those carry a confidence label. Buoys are unevenly distributed around the world, so validation is strongest in well-instrumented regions; we don’t claim a single global accuracy figure.
The same verdict everywhere
The green / yellow / red dive verdict is a single deterministic score, computed from the same inputs and the same rules on the website, the operator dashboard, and the mobile app — so a site reads the same wherever you check it.
A planning guide, not a go/no-go call
DiveConnect conditions help you plan — to narrow down where and when to dive. They are not a substitute for an on-site assessment. Local, real-time factors can change a site in ways no model sees. Always assess conditions in person, and check with the local dive operator, before you get in the water.
Common questions
Where does the conditions data come from?
From the Copernicus Marine Service — the European Union’s public operational ocean-forecasting system — combined with per-site tidal predictions. Each dive site is sampled at its own location, and sheltered or nearshore sites get an added physics layer that adjusts the offshore forecast for the local coastline and seabed.
How accurate are the forecasts?
We validate against independent offshore buoys and publish what we measure rather than asserting a figure. Comparing our nowcast against nearby buoys, wave-height error is on the order of 0.2 m where buoys are available, and accuracy softens with forecast lead time. It is highest at sites the ocean models resolve directly and lower at sheltered nearshore sites, which is why those carry a confidence label. Buoys are unevenly distributed worldwide, so we do not claim a single global accuracy number.
Can I use this to decide whether it’s safe to dive right now?
No. DiveConnect conditions are planning guidance, not a go/no-go safety call. Local, real-time factors — surge, runoff, boat traffic, recent weather — can change a site in ways no model sees. Always assess conditions in person and check with the local dive operator before entering the water.
Do you cover my dive site?
Conditions are computed for the full catalogue of 32,000+ dive sites worldwide. If a site is missing, you can add it.