Monmouth County Surf Forecast
Last Update: 8/02/2026 14:30
Link to Free Surf Cams: Beach Cams
Summer Forecast Note
As we get into summer, this page will be updated less. I primarily mean for this page to track swells as they arrive and that’s not something that happens that much this time of year. As surfers, we all know that July-mid August is the slowest time of year for surf. The waves we do see tend to be more similar to trade swell than actual swell events. For this type of setup, wave heights are pretty unimportant and will be too affected by local bathymetry. In general, if the waves are under waist high, I won’t be attaching the tabular data associated.
I’ll still be updating this page with days that are worth a look, but I’ll go ahead and give the NOAA servers a rest until something of interest pops up.
Forecast for 8/14 - 8/18
Watching Monday for some short period wind swell. Overall, this is decently directed for a summer south swell, but expect pretty soft conditions out there with the short fetch. Plan for potentially colder water temps.
Monday 8/17
| Time | Wave Direction | Swell Height | Period | Energy Percentile | Wind Direction | Wind Speed | Water Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06:00 | 175 | 4.6 | 5.6 | 14.7 | SSW | 16.7 | -1.8 |
| 08:00 | 175 | 4.1 | 5.9 | 14.3 | SW | 11.6 | -0.1 |
| 10:00 | 175 | 3.6 | 6 | 11.9 | W | 9.5 | 1.6 |
| 12:00 | 175 | 3.4 | 6 | 10.4 | WNW | 7.1 | 1.6 |
| 14:00 | 185 | 3.2 | 6 | 6.7 | NW | 5 | 0.2 |
| 16:00 | 184.9 | 3 | 6.1 | 5.8 | NNW | 5.2 | -1.1 |
| 18:00 | 185 | 2.8 | 6.1 | 4.9 | N | 4.9 | -1.6 |
Prediction for NY Harbor Buoy
| Time | Angle 1 | Swell 1 | Period 1 | WW Angle | Wind Wave | WW Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | 178.7 | 3.9 | 5.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14:00 | 167.2 | 2.9 | 5.6 | 287 | 0.4 | 1.8 |
| 20:00 | 166.4 | 2.6 | 5.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Prediction for Barnegat Light Buoy
| Time | Angle 1 | Swell 1 | Period 1 | Angle 2 | Swell 2 | Period 2 | Angle 3 | Swell 3 | Period 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | 181.6 | 3.6 | 5.5 | 124.9 | 0.7 | 8.4 | 104.6 | 0.2 | 10.5 |
| 14:00 | 172 | 3 | 5.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20:00 | 168 | 2.6 | 5.7 | 127.9 | 0.5 | 9.9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Time | Tide | Height (ft) |
|---|---|---|
| 05:00 | L | 0.2 |
| 11:34 | H | 5.02 |
| 17:28 | L | 0.68 |
| 23:47 | H | 4.44 |
Not the best forecast in the world but I’d plan on taking a look on the incoming tide in the AM. Period numbers are definitely showing lower than I’d hoped.
Wind is expected to switch offshore sometime in the early AM, but there’s still some variation there. A wind switch should occur, but the timing is uncertain.
Swell heights peak in the early AM around the dawn low tide. I’d expect waves in the waist-stomach range at best based on the numbers I’m seeing right now.
Notes: Possible upwelling and very soft conditions given the swell period. Watch your local wind forecast closely.
Best board: longboard or (maybe) a groveler.
Tuesday 8/18
| Time | Wave Direction | Swell Height | Period | Energy Percentile | Wind Direction | Wind Speed | Water Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06:00 | 155 | 2.5 | 6.4 | 10.9 | N | 8 | -1.9 |
| 08:00 | 155 | 2.6 | 6.5 | 12.8 | N | 9 | -0.6 |
| 10:00 | 155 | 2.6 | 6.6 | 13.3 | N | 8.3 | 1 |
| 12:00 | 165 | 2.5 | 6.6 | 10.2 | N | 5.5 | 1.7 |
| 14:00 | 165 | 2.4 | 6.6 | 9 | NNE | 3.2 | 0.8 |
| 16:00 | 165 | 2.3 | 6.6 | 8.1 | SE | 3.9 | -0.5 |
| 18:00 | 165 | 2.2 | 6.6 | 7.3 | S | 5.4 | -1.4 |
| Time | Tide | Height (ft) |
|---|---|---|
| 05:40 | L | 0.56 |
| 12:21 | H | 4.86 |
| 18:19 | L | 0.97 |
OK longboard day if the wind stays light.
Mid-Week
Some longer period ESE swell should show mid-week. We’re talking 1.5ft at ~10s. Nothing exceptional, but it should keep rideable waves going as the week continues on a big board. Wind forecast looks interesting.
Looking Ahead
We could see an east wind swell next weekend, but it’s too early for any details. Not a great setup.
Tropics
Tropical storm development is still expected to be unlikely for the next three weeks based on NWS Climate Prediction Center 8/11 update.
All data sourced from NOAA NWPS and GFS Wave
Current list of Surf Hazards Surf Hazards
Why Energy Percentile? Energy Article
Helpful Links
Buoys
NOAA New York Harbor Entrance Buoy