Queens
Rockaway Beach surf report
12.1ft
Epic — 12.1 ft.
Saturday, September 26 · local time at the spot
Right now
Swell
12.1 ft
11 s · ESE109°
Wind
31.1 kt
N 10° · gusting 40.8 kt
Water temperature
66°F
18.9 °C
Daylight
6:46 AM
sunrise · sunset 6:45 PM
Rip current risk
High risk
Life threatening rip currents are likely.
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 2:43 PM (0.192 ft)
| Time | Tide | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 2:24 AM | low | -0.067 ft |
| 8:20 AM | high | 6.202 ft |
| 2:43 PM | low | 0.192 ft |
| 8:37 PM | high | 6.18 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 | 11.8 ft | 11.5 s | W 265° |
| Sun | 4.7 ft | 8.4 s | W 271° |
| Mon | 1.7 ft | 9 s | WNW 287° |
| Tue | 1.4 ft | 8.3 s | WNW 286° |
| Wed | 1.7 ft | 8.9 s | WNW 298° |
| Thu | 1.4 ft | 8.8 s | WNW 289° |
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 Rockaway Beach 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 beach break with several jetty peaks
- Best swell
- NE to E groundswell, S in summer
- Best wind
- Offshore N to NW
- Tide
- Mid tide
- Level
- Beginner to intermediate
Hazards
- Jetty currents
- Rip currents
- Crowds; surfing restricted to marked beaches
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
- NDBC 44065 buoy wind · read 8:10 AM
- NOAA WaveWatch III 44065 model cycle 20260926 6z · model · read 8:47 AM
- NDBC 44065 buoy wave height · read 7:50 AM
- NOAA CO-OPS 8517137 tide predictions · read 8:47 AM
- NWS Surf Zone Forecast OKX zone NYZ178 · read 3:01 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
- Asbury Park 12.1 ft · 42 km
- Belmar 12.1 ft · 47 km
- Manasquan 12.1 ft · 55 km
- Virginia Beach 10.8 ft · 454 km
- Steamer Lane 6.2 ft · 4146 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.