wˈʌn nˈiːdz tə hæv ɐn ˌʌndɚstˈændɪŋ ʌv hˌaʊ wˈeɪvz ɑːɹ fˈɔːɹmd, ɐ bˈeɪsɪk nˈɑːlɪdʒ ʌv bˈæθaɪmətɹi, ænd ˌɪnfɚmˈeɪʃən sˈʌtʃ ɐz tˈaɪdz, loʊkˈeɪʃən, ænd wˈɛðɚ ɐbˌaʊt ðə sˈɜːf spˈɑːt bˌiːɪŋ fˈɔːɹkæstᵻd tʊ ˈækjʊɹətli fˈɔːɹkæst ðə sˈɜːf.
One needs to have an understanding of how waves are formed, a basic knowledge of bathymetry, and information (such as tides, location, and weather) about the surf spot being forecasted to accurately forecast the surf.