Cape May County
Ocean City surf report
16.7ft
Epic — 16.7 ft.
Saturday, September 26 · local time at the spot
Right now
Swell
16.7 ft
11 s · E80°
Wind
This buoy carries no anemometer, so there is no wind reading here.
Water temperature
66°F
18.9 °C
Daylight
6:49 AM
sunrise · sunset 6:48 PM
Rip current risk
High risk
Life threatening rip currents are likely.
NWS surf forecast: 6–10 ft (today, Atlantic Coastal Cape May)
Every level, including Low, describes currents that can kill — how to spot one from the beach and what to do if you are caught.
Tide
Currently falling — next low at 2:23 PM (0.232 ft)
| Time | Tide | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 2:04 AM | low | 0.29 ft |
| 8:10 AM | high | 4.378 ft |
| 2:23 PM | low | 0.232 ft |
| 8:27 PM | high | 4.341 ft |
Tide values are predictions. Wind, pressure and surge move the real water level, sometimes by a lot — see the disclaimer.
Forecast
Model output, not a measurement — NOAA WaveWatch III
| Day | Height | Period | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat | 15.4 ft | 11.6 s | WSW 245° |
| Sun | 6.6 ft | 8.6 s | SW 228° |
| Mon | 2.2 ft | 9 s | W 268° |
| Tue | 1.8 ft | 8.4 s | W 266° |
| Wed | 2.2 ft | 8.9 s | W 276° |
| Thu | 1.9 ft | 8.7 s | W 274° |
A model computes; it does not observe. Accuracy drops with range, and nearshore transformation is where it is weakest.
What to wear
At 66 °F (18.9 °C), most people at Ocean City are comfortable in a 3/2 mm full suit.
3/2 mm
for 62–68 °F
The workhorse of temperate water. 3 mm on the body, 2 mm on the limbs.
The temperature is measured. The suit recommendation is not — it follows the manufacturers' convention, which varies by a degree or two between brands, and it knows nothing about wind, session length or how you personally run. The full chart and what it leaves out.
Surf cam
No cam here yet. We operate no cameras of our own and embed only where the operator allows it — the rule is on the copyright page. Cam operators who would like a link are welcome to write.
The break
- Type
- Long open beach break
- Best swell
- NE to E groundswell, S in summer
- Best wind
- Offshore W
- Tide
- Mid tide
- Level
- Beginner to intermediate
Hazards
- Rip currents
- Crowds in summer
- Inlet current near the south end
Local knowledge, not a measurement. Conditions decide the day — check the National Weather Service for warnings and the lifeguards for whether to go in.
Every source behind this page
- Solunar computed · read 8:47 AM
- NOAA WaveWatch III 44091 model cycle 20260926 6z · model · read 8:47 AM
- NDBC 44091 buoy wave height · read 8:00 AM
- NOAA CO-OPS 8534836 tide predictions · read 8:47 AM
- NWS Surf Zone Forecast PHI zone NJZ024 · read 3:13 AM
All of it is public NOAA and National Weather Service data, free for anyone to use. What we add is the pairing of this spot with these stations — see the terms.
Nearby spots
- Manasquan 12.1 ft · 103 km
- Belmar 12.1 ft · 111 km
- Ocean City 10.5 ft · 114 km
- Ponquogue Beach 17.1 ft · 247 km
- Siesta Key 2 ft · 1526 km
Surf and beach conditions change faster than this page does, and nobody watches it in real time. When the water looks different from the numbers, trust the water and the lifeguards.