Washington · Oregon · California Coast

West Coast
Marine Weather
& Tides

From the Salish Sea to the California coast — the West Coast is wide open and ruthlessly unpredictable. Real-time weather and tides from NOAA buoys, ships at sea, and coastal weather stations. Live, free, in one tool.

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NOAA Stations
Coastal weather obs
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NDBC Buoys
Offshore wave & wind
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Ships at Sea
C-MAN & volunteer obs
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Tide Predictions
NOAA tide stations
Why Helm WX for West Coast Waters?
West Coast boaters deal with more variables than almost anywhere else. Helm WX brings the data together.
Unique

Weather + Tides Together

On the West Coast, tidal currents and weather interact constantly. Helm WX is one of the only free tools that shows both on the same page — see if that outflow wind aligns with a strong ebb, or time your bar crossing to the tidal window, before you go.

📡 Live Data

Live Data from Real Sources

The West Coast has excellent NOAA coverage: dozens of weather stations, multiple NDBC buoys offshore from Washington to California, C-MAN stations, and a dense tide gauge network. Helm WX taps all of it — live observations, not model guesses.

📱 Free access

Free, No App Needed

West Coast mariners range from day-sailors to offshore cruisers running the Pacific Coast. Helm WX works for all of them — free, mobile-friendly, no download, no subscription. Pull it up anywhere you have signal.

West Coast Marine Coverage

The West Coast marine environment spans radically different water bodies — from the sheltered inlets of South Puget Sound to the exposed Pacific coast with 20-foot seas. Helm WX covers it all, pulling live data from NOAA's dense network of stations across the region. Whether you're navigating the Salish Sea, transiting the Oregon coast, or working the California bight, the data you need is in one place.

Puget Sound & Salish Sea
Complex tidal basin with 12–14 ft ranges at Tacoma Narrows. Strong currents, fog, and afternoon sea breezes. The most populated boating waters on the West Coast.
Strait of Juan de Fuca
The gateway west — strong outflow winds, steep chop, and Pacific swell funneling in. Critical passage for anyone heading from the inland sea to the open ocean.
Washington Coast
Open Pacific from Cape Flattery to the Columbia River. Bar crossings at Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay require careful timing. Ocean swells, strong current, fast-changing conditions.
Oregon Coast
Nearly 400 miles of exposed Pacific coastline with bar-entrance ports at Astoria, Newport, Coos Bay, and Gold Beach. Notorious bar conditions, northwest swell, summer upwelling winds.
Northern California
From the Oregon border south — Crescent City, Eureka, Bodega Bay. Heavy winter swell from the north Pacific, strong summer NW winds, dramatic bar and inlet conditions.
San Juan Islands
Strong tidal currents through the passes, 3–5 kt currents at spring tides. Exposed to Pacific swell on the west side. Beautiful, technical sailing waters in the upper Salish Sea.
What You Get
Every variable that matters in West Coast waters — wind, tide, swell, pressure, and more.
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Wind
Speed, direction & gusts
from live stations
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Waves
Height, period &
direction from buoys
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Tides
Predictions with
visual chart
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Swell
Height & direction
offshore swell data
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Temperature
Air & sea surface
temperature
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Pressure
Barometric pressure
& trend
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Nearby Stations
Closest buoys &
weather stations
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Mobile-Ready
Works on any device,
no app download

Check West Coast
Conditions Now

Real-time marine weather and tides for the entire West Coast — Puget Sound, Washington, Oregon, and Northern California. Free, no app needed.

Check Conditions Now →

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