How CoastEventRadar scores a coastal opportunity
What goes into the score, what is deliberately left out, and why a high score is not a safety rating.
Start with a real event
The engine begins with time-stamped source data such as a NOAA high/low prediction, observed water level, NWS forecast period or current buoy observation. A score is never created from generic travel copy alone.
Separate forecast from observation
Astronomical tide predictions, short-range weather forecasts and live observations are labeled separately. We do not carry a live buoy reading forward as if it were a seven-day wave forecast.
Rarity is local
A 6-foot tide can be ordinary in one harbor and remarkable in another. Rarity is calculated within the selected station’s upcoming prediction set instead of using one national threshold.
Daylight changes usefulness
For tidepooling and photography, sunrise and sunset are calculated from latitude, longitude and date. A low tide at noon is more usable than the same low at 2 a.m. for most visitors.
Safety stays outside the score
Official alerts are shown prominently and can lower the planning score, but the site never returns an “all clear.” Access rules, breaking waves, rip currents and local closures still require official checks.