Surf Forecasts:
Bay Head surf forecast from 18 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 22 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 9s period, S swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 22 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 8s period, S swell with 844 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 19 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 7s period with SSE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Bay Head this week:
The surf forecast for Bay Head over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Bay Head in the next 16 days are 2.5m 8s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 18) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Sun 19th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 5PM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bay Head over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s cookin’ for the Jersey Shore.
First thing’s first, it’s a quiet start. From now through the 21st of July, we’re in a real dry spell. The surf is tiny, weak, and messy. We’re talkin’ ankle-to-knee high slop from the south and southeast, with periods of 4 to 7 seconds. The wind is mostly cross or cross-onshore, keeping a chop on the surface. The combined energy is barely registering, with values like 18 (kp/h units) one morning. It’s just not worth the effort.
Then we get to Wednesday, the 22nd of July. That’s the one bright spot. The morning shows a bump to 1.4m from the SSE, period up to 9 seconds, and a clean cross-offshore breeze from the WSW. The energy jumps to 308 (moderate). But the afternoon is the real deal. The swell builds to 1.8m from the south, still with that 9-second period, and the wind goes glassy offshore from the WNW. That’s a recipe for clean, fun, punchy waves. The energy hits 753 (strong), and the model is calling it “very good surf conditions.” This is the session to circle on your calendar. Bay Head is an exposed beach and jetty, so that south swell will wrap in. That 1.8m is getting into the “too big for beginners” territory, but for the rest of us, it’s game on.
After that, it’s back to the struggle. From the 23rd of July through the end of the month, it’s small, onshore, and messy. On the 31st of July, we see a spike in energy to 235 (moderate) with 1.3m from the south, but the wind is a strong cross-onshore from the northeast, making it a choppy, blown-out mess. Not ideal for a paddle board.
There’s a tiny window on the morning of the 1st of August. We get 0.6m from the ESE with a glassy, flat wind. The energy is a weak 62, so it’s barely surfable, but if you just need to get wet, it’s the cleanest thing we see in the second week. The 2nd of August is similar, glassy morning but with only 0.5m.
So, the call is simple: the one and only standout is Wednesday, the 22nd of July, in the afternoon. That’s your best bet. The rest is a long, flat stretch that’s pretty normal for the area when the wind doesn’t cooperate. Stay patient.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Sat night. Warm (max 27°C on Sun afternoon, min 21°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Sat night, light winds from the N by Sun night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 29mm), heaviest during Tue night. Warm (max 29°C on Wed afternoon, min 20°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Tue night, light winds from the WNW by Wed afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 4 | S 4 | SSW 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | S 7 | S 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 4 | SSE 5 | SE 5 | SSE 6 | SSE 9 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 7 | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 9 | 16 | 206 | 48 | 38 | 40 | 27 | 35 | 13 | 39 | 33 | 145 | 308 | 521 | 194 | 117 | 91 | 37 | 31 | 30 | 95 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 2:29PM0.10m | 2:37AM0.09m | 3:20PM0.09m | 3:28AM0.09m | 4:09PM0.09m | 4:18AM0.08m | 4:57PM0.09m | 5:08AM0.08m | 5:46PM0.09m | 6:01AM0.07m | 6:37PM0.09m | 6:58AM0.07m | 7:31PM0.09m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:17AM-0.01m | 8:32PM0.00m | 9:02AM-0.00m | 9:24PM0.01m | 9:48AM0.00m | 10:22PM0.02m | 10:38AM0.01m | 11:25PM0.02m | 11:31AM0.02m | 00:26AM0.02m | 12:26PM0.02m | 1:22AM0.02m | 1:17PM0.02m | 2:12AM0.02m | |||||||
 | |  |  | |  | | |  |  |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | |
 | 5:41 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — |
 | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:20 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:17 | — | — | 8:17 | — |
mm | 1 | 2 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 28 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 26 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 29 | 28 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 |
Feels °C | 25 | 27 | 21 | 21 | 24 | 25 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 30 | 29 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 6 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | S 7 | S 7 | E 12 | SE 8 | E 12 | SE 8 | E 11 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 7 | SE 8 | SSE 7 | SE 8 |
| kJ | 3 | 3 | 94 | 48 | 38 | 40 | 27 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 308 | 232 | 194 | 117 | 91 | 37 | 31 | 15 | 95 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | N 3 | E 12 | E 12 | ENE 3 | — | E 12 | S 9 | — | — | — | — | — | NE 4 | S 7 | SSE 7 | SE 9 | ENE 5 |
| kJ | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 25 | 18 | 20 | 7 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | — | — | E 13 | — | — | SE 12 | E 12 | — | E 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 10 | — | SE 9 | — |
| kJ | 2 | 1 | — | — | 3 | — | — | 6 | 3 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | 20 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 4 | S 4 | SSW 7 | NW 3 | — | N 3 | — | SSE 7 | SSE 4 | SSE 5 | SE 5 | SSE 6 | — | S 9 | N 3 | NNE 4 | — | ENE 4 | ENE 5 | ESE 5 | — |
| kJ | 9 | 16 | 206 | 2 | — | 1 | — | 35 | 13 | 39 | 33 | 145 | — | 521 | 3 | 9 | — | 3 | 14 | 30 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1007 | 2893 | 169 | 17 | 6 | 4 | 47 | 239 | 214 | 389 | 1191 | 81 | 4 | 0 | 63 | 63 | 239 | 66 | 63 | 239 | 43 |
Best forecast wave conditions in New Jersey | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Bay Head Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Bay Head provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Bay Head can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Bay Head surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Bay Head) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Bay Head may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Bay Head is 3 km (2 miles) from Point Pleasant. If you plan a vacation in New Jersey, look for hotels and other accommodation in Point Pleasant. Point Pleasant has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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