Wind direction tells you where the wind is coming from. A northerly wind comes from the north and moves toward the south, while a westerly wind comes from the west and moves toward the east. This convention is used in meteorological observations and forecasts.
Wind direction can be expressed with compass points such as N, SW or ENE, in degrees from 0° to 360°, or through symbols on a weather map. At the coast, there is another step: comparing that direction with the orientation of the shoreline to understand how the wind approaches the water.
The Basic Rule of Wind Direction
The most important rule is simple: meteorological wind direction describes where the wind comes from, not where it is travelling toward.
- A north wind comes from the north and blows toward the south.
- An east wind comes from the east and blows toward the west.
- A south wind comes from the south and blows toward the north.
- A west wind comes from the west and blows toward the east.
The same convention applies to intermediate directions. A southwest wind comes from the southwest and travels toward the northeast. A northeast wind comes from the northeast and travels toward the southwest.
The atmospheric forces that create and shape this moving air are covered separately in What Causes Wind?.
Compass Points and Wind Direction
Forecasts commonly describe wind using compass points. The four main directions are north, east, south and west, while intermediate directions provide greater precision.
| Forecast | Comes from | Moves towards | Degrees |
|---|---|---|---|
| N | North | South | 0° or 360° |
| NE | Northeast | Southwest | 45° |
| E | East | West | 90° |
| SE | Southeast | Northwest | 135° |
| S | South | North | 180° |
| SW | Southwest | Northeast | 225° |
| W | West | East | 270° |
| NW | Northwest | Southeast | 315° |
A sixteen-point compass adds NNE, ENE, ESE, SSE, SSW, WSW, WNW and NNW. These additional directions describe the incoming wind more precisely without requiring a numerical degree value.
Wind Direction in Degrees
Wind direction can also be expressed numerically in degrees clockwise from north.
A forecast showing 270° therefore describes wind coming from the west. A direction of 180° describes wind coming from the south.
Degrees are particularly useful at the coast because relatively small changes in direction can change the angle at which wind meets a beach. A shift from 240° to 270° is only 30 degrees, but that difference can be significant when compared with the orientation of a particular shoreline.
Understanding Wind Arrows and Wind Barbs
Wind symbols require some care because different forecast interfaces can visualise movement differently. Do not assume that every graphical arrow follows the same convention without checking the legend of the platform you are using.
Traditional meteorological wind barbs follow a defined convention. The shaft extends toward the direction from which the wind is blowing, while the barbs attached to it indicate wind speed.
Consumer weather apps may use different arrow designs. When a compass abbreviation or degree value is also available, use that information together with the platform's legend to confirm the intended direction.
From Compass Direction to Coastal Direction
A compass direction describes wind relative to north. At the coast, the same wind can also be described relative to the shoreline.
A westerly wind is therefore not automatically onshore or offshore. Its relationship with the coast depends on which direction the shoreline faces.
On a west-facing beach, wind arriving from the west approaches from over the sea and is broadly onshore. On an east-facing beach, the same westerly wind approaches from over land and is broadly offshore.
The compass direction has not changed. The orientation of the coastline has.
Onshore, Offshore and Cross-Shore
Coastal wind direction is commonly described according to the angle at which the airflow meets the shoreline.
- Onshore: wind moves from the sea toward the land.
- Offshore: wind moves from the land toward the sea.
- Cross-shore: wind moves approximately parallel to the coastline.
- Cross-onshore: wind approaches diagonally from the sea toward the land.
- Cross-offshore: wind approaches diagonally from the land toward the sea.
These terms describe the relationship between the wind and a particular stretch of coastline rather than an absolute compass direction. Their practical implications are explored further in Onshore vs Offshore Wind.
Reading Wind Direction on a Coastal Map
A map is one of the simplest ways to translate a wind forecast into coastal context. Start by identifying north, then examine the orientation of the shoreline and determine where the forecast wind will arrive from.
If the forecast gives 270°, imagine air approaching from due west. If the sea lies west of the beach, the wind approaches from over the water. If the land lies west of the beach, it approaches from over land.
The same method works for diagonal directions. With a southwest wind, trace the airflow from the southwest toward the location rather than reading southwest as the direction in which the wind is travelling.
At Scheveningen in the Netherlands, for example, placing the forecast direction over the orientation of the North Sea coastline gives the compass value practical meaning. The same method can be applied to any coastal location.
Local Geography Can Modify the Forecast Wind
Comparing wind direction with a map is a useful starting point, but the regional forecast does not guarantee identical airflow at every point along the coast.
Cliffs, dunes, mountains, buildings, valleys and headlands can shelter, redirect or disturb moving air. Coastlines that curve or change orientation can also create different wind relationships within a relatively short distance.
This becomes especially relevant in more complex coastal landscapes. Around Porto Pollo in Sardinia, surrounding land and coastline geometry mean that understanding the broader compass direction is only the first step in interpreting the wind at a specific part of the coast.
Use the forecast direction as the larger reference, then account for local exposure and terrain when interpreting conditions at beach level.
Wind Direction Can Change
A forecast direction is not necessarily fixed throughout the day. Weather systems can move, fronts can pass, local thermal circulations can develop and the balance between regional and local wind can change.
At the coast, daytime heating can sometimes contribute to a local circulation between land and sea. The mechanism and the difference between the daytime and nighttime patterns are covered in Sea Breeze vs Land Breeze.
For that reason, check the forecast across the period you plan to be outside rather than relying only on one direction shown for the entire day.
Direction Is Only One Part of the Wind
Wind direction tells you where the air is coming from, but it does not tell you how strongly or consistently it is moving.
Wind speed describes the strength of the airflow, while gust information helps show how much stronger shorter bursts may become. Two forecasts can therefore show exactly the same wind direction while producing very different conditions at the water.
The wider coastal picture can also include waves, swell, tides, local thermal effects and changing weather systems. Wind direction should be interpreted as one part of that environment rather than as a complete forecast on its own.
Turning a Wind Forecast Into Coastal Context
Reading wind direction starts with one convention: identify where the wind is coming from. Compass points and degree values are simply different ways of expressing that same information.
At the coast, the next step is to compare the incoming direction with the orientation of the shoreline. That reveals whether the wind approaches from the sea, from the land or at an angle along the coast.
Finally, account for local geography and changes through time. Together, compass direction, coastline orientation and local context turn an abstract forecast such as 240°, W or NE into information that is much more useful at the water.