Surf spot

The Back Porch

Forecast conditions and map view for The Back Porch in USA, Gulf Coast, Florida. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: USA, Gulf Coast, Florida
Coordinates: 30.3822, -86.4573

Metric
Metric	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00
Wave height (m)	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.4	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.4
Wave direction	SSW	SSW	SW	SW	SSW	SSW	SW	SW	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE
Wave period (s)	3.3	3.1	3	3	3	3	2.7	2.6	4.7	5.8	5.9	5.8	5.6	5.3	4.7	4.5	4.7	4.8	5	5.4	5.7	5.8	6	5.7	5.8	5.9	6	5.9	5.8	5.8	5.7	5.7	5.9	6.1	3	3.4	3.5	3.7	3.8	4.2	4.2	3.8	3.8	4	4.3	4.3	4.3	4	4	3.9	3.8	3.6	4.3	3.9	3.8	3.8
Wave energy (kJ)	7	5	4	3	3	2	1	1	2	3	3	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	1	3	5	5	5	4	2	3	6	9	10	8	7	6	4	3	3	2	3	4	4	5
Wind speed (km/h)	9	7.1	5.2	7.8	12.6	15.9	9.5	7.8	8.3	6.3	6.4	4.8	8.7	14.5	10.3	6.6	6.5	6.1	7.1	7.6	0.4	12.5	8.7	7.6	7.7	7	5.4	7.7	4.3	8	8.8	7.2	8.9	11.2	9.2	12.2	12.1	14.4	8.2	7.6	8	7.6	8.6	11.9	15.5	15.7	7.2	10.5	8	8.7	8	12.2	13	6.3	6.1	2.9
Wind direction	SOnshore	SWCross-on	WSWCross	SWCross-on	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	WSWCross-on	NWCross-off	WNWGlassy	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	SSWOnshore	WCross	WCross	WCross	NNWCross-off	NNWOffshore	NGlassy	SWCross-on	SSWOnshore	WSWCross-on	WCross	NWCross-off	NNWOffshore	NOffshore	SEGlassy	SOnshore	SSWOnshore	ECross	ENECross-off	ECross	ECross	ECross	ENECross-off	NECross-off	ENECross-off	ECross	ECross	ECross	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	NECross-off	NNECross-off	NOffshore	NECross-off	ECross	NECross-off	NECross-off	ENECross-off	NECross-off	ENECross	ENECross-off	WGlassy

The Back Porch is a surf spot on the Gulf Coast of Florida, USA, but it’s better known as a beachfront area/restaurants name than a classic, consistent surf break. On the Gulf side, surf is generally small, soft, and highly dependent on storm systems rather than regular ocean swell.

What it’s like

Wave type: Usually small beachbreak waves.
Best conditions: More likely to be rideable during hurricane season, tropical storms, or strong frontal passages that send in extra swell.
Wave quality: Often short-period, weaker surf compared with Atlantic Coast Florida spots.
Wind sensitivity: Can be improved by light offshore winds or ruined quickly by onshore breezes, which are common.

Bottom line

If you’re looking for a reliable longboard or beginner-friendly Gulf Coast session, this area can work when conditions line up. But if you want consistent, powerful surf, The Back Porch area is not a dependable destination—Florida’s Gulf Coast is usually flat or tiny outside of storm-generated swell.