Wild Open Water
Open-water swim spot info. A directory with tide/temp — no scored, forward-looking forecast.
BEST SWIMMING FORECAST APP
The best swimmingforecast app?
Wild Open Water, Windy are all good at what they do. Here's a fair look at where each wins for swimming — and where a per-ability, physics-grounded score fits.
For open-water swimming, Wild Open Water lists spots with tide and temperature and Windy shows the weather — but neither scores whether it is a good swim for you. 4Shor combines water state, current and temperature into a per-ability swim score across Europe, so calm, mild days rank and rough or cold ones are marked down.
Best swimming forecast apps compared
 | Wild Open Water | Windy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Open-water swimmers judging the water | Open-water swim spot info | Reading the weather models |
| Per-ability swimming score | Yes — 0–100, beginner → expert | No | No |
| Multi-sport scoring | Yes — 10 sports on one scale | No | No |
| Forecast approach | Own high-res Europe seabed map + ECMWF / national NWP | Tide, temperature & water-quality listings | Multi-model (ECMWF/GFS/ICON) maps |
| Nearshore wave physics | Yes — modelled per spot | No — open-ocean data | No — open-ocean data |
| Tide-aware scoring | Yes — factored into the score | Yes (tide & temp) | Yes (currents) |
| Live wind stations | No — modelled, not sensor | No | Some observations |
| Live cams | No | No | Community webcams |
| Condition alerts | Yes — per sport & ability | No | Yes (alerts) |
| Forecast horizon | 8-day (in the app) | Listings, not forecast tables | Up to ~10-day (multi-model) |
| Coverage | Europe — 2,500+ spots | UK-focused | Global |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, web | Web | iOS, Android, web |
| Free tier | Today free on web; 3-day forecast free in the app | Free | Generous free; paid Premium |
Competitor features change — check each app for its current offering. Comparison reflects our reading as of 2026.
Reading the table
Every tool here is genuinely useful — they're built for different jobs. Wild Open Water is open-water swim spot info; Windy is reading the weather models.
What only 4Shor does for swimming: model how conditions actually behave at each spot on its own high-resolution European seabed map, then score that per sport and per ability. The 0–100 score is the output of real nearshore physics, which is why it can be read as a decision rather than a rating. See the full method, the swimming forecast across Europe, or the full app comparison.
THE FIELD
When each tool wins — and where it stops
Every app here earns its place for swimming. Here's the honest read on what each is best at, and the gap a per-ability, physics-grounded score fills.
When it wins When it wins Windy
Reading the weather models. Raw model data for every sport — no judgement, no per-ability score.
WHAT MATTERS
What to look for in a swimming forecast
The tools above hand you accurate numbers. The harder question is what separates a forecast you can act on from a table you have to interpret. For swimming, these are the things that actually decide the session:
- A decision, not just data. Wind speed, swell height and tide are inputs. What you want out is whether today is worth the drive — a single read, not four numbers to weigh in your head.
- Your ability, factored in. The same conditions are a green light for one rider and a write-off for another. A swimmingforecast that ignores level is only half the answer.
- The spot's own seabed. How swell and wind behave in the last few hundred metres to shore — refraction, shoaling, shelter — changes everything. Open-ocean data misses it; nearshore modelling doesn't.
- Tide at this spot. Many places only work on a certain state or a push. A forecast that folds tide into the call beats one that leaves you cross-referencing a separate table.
- Enough warning. A good window is worth planning around, so horizon and alerts matter — you want to hear about the day before it arrives, not discover it that morning.
That's the frame 4Shor is built on: it turns the same modelled conditions into one 0–100 swimming score per ability, from the seabed up. See the full method or the swimming conditions guide for the ideal-conditions breakdown.
FAQ
Swimming forecast app — common questions
What's the best swimming forecast app?
For open-water swimming, Wild Open Water lists spots with tide and temperature and Windy shows the weather — but neither scores whether it is a good swim for you. 4Shor combines water state, current and temperature into a per-ability swim score across Europe, so calm, mild days rank and rough or cold ones are marked down.
Is 4Shor a good alternative to Wild Open Water for swimming?
Wild Open Water is strong for open-water swim spot info. 4Shor's edge for swimming is the per-ability 0–100 score built from nearshore wave physics: Ideal open-water swimming is calm, low-chop water with light wind, gentle current and a temperature you are prepared for — sheltered spots on a mild, settled day score best. Many riders use both — one to read the raw conditions, 4Shor to decide where to go.
Does 4Shor score swimming by ability?
Yes. Every spot is scored 0–100 for Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and Expert, so the same conditions read differently for a learner and an expert — updated hourly across 2,500+ European swimming spots.
What data does 4Shor use for the swimming forecast?
4Shor blends ECMWF and national weather models with its own high-resolution seabed map of the European coastline, then models how conditions actually behave in the last stretch to shore at each spot. That nearshore physics — not open-ocean data — is what the swimming score is built from.
How many swimming spots does 4Shor cover?
More than 2,500 coastal locations across Europe, each scored for swimming where the conditions suit it. Coverage is Europe-first, with 4Shor's own nearshore bathymetry for the European coastline rather than a thinned-out global grid.
Is there a free swimming forecast?
Yes. Today's swimming score is free on every 4Shor location page on the web, and the app gives you a free 3-day forecast. The full 8-day forecast and per-ability condition alerts are part of Premium and Pro.
Can I get swimming alerts before a good day?
Yes. 4Shor can push an alert when a spot crosses your swimming conditions threshold — tuned to your ability level — up to a week before the window opens, so you hear about the good days rather than checking a table every morning.
SEE IT ON A REAL SPOT
Ready for the swimming decision?
Today's swimming scores are free on every location page — per ability, from the seabed up.