
Surf Forecasts:
Crystals surf forecast from 16 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 21 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 5s period, S swell with 74 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Crystals this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Crystals in the next 16 days are 1.2m 5s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 7s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 19) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Tue 21st Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 5s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Crystals over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this is a pretty grim outlook for the next 16 days. There’s nothing that screams “go,” and the truth is, we’re looking at a long stretch of tiny, weak waves. The overall pattern is quiet, with barely a bump to get excited about. The first real chance to even paddle out comes later this week, but it’s a low-energy affair.
Let’s start with the first recommendation. From Wednesday July 15th, the swell is a pathetic 1 ft from the SE with a period of 9 seconds, not enough to push a kayak. The water temperature is 76° – a touch warmer than normal, but that’s where the good news ends. The wind is offshore from the West at 12 mph, so the surface will be clean, but it’s just too small. The combined energy is a feeble 17, so don’t be fooled.
Thursday July 16th is even smaller – 0.7 ft from the ESE. The wind is light and cross-off, so it’s clean, but the swell is dead. The energy is only 8. This is a pure flat spell.
The gap here is significant. From July 15th through to July 20th, you’ll be lucky to see a ripple. There’s nothing to recommend. The surf quality is consistently poor, and the swell rarely tops 0.7 ft.
Then, on Tuesday July 21st afternoon, we finally get a pulse. The swell jumps to 4 ft from the South, but it’s a short period of 5 seconds – that’s windswell, not a clean groundswell. The energy bumps up to 81, which is still weak, but there’s some push. The wind is cross-off from the SW at 12 mph, so it’ll be clean. But honestly, at 4 ft with that short period, it’s going to be weak and crumbly. It’s not a stand-out, just the best of a bad lot. For a surfer, it’s a maybe, but don’t race there. The break is Crystals, a beach/jetty setup, and it’s fairly consistent, but crowds are possible.
After that, it’s back to the doldrums. From July 22nd through to the end of the month, the swell dips back under 3 ft, with periods mostly under 8 seconds. The wind is often onshore or cross-onshore, making it choppy and messy. There’s a brief moment on July 25th afternoon with 3 ft from the SE, but the wind is a fresh 22 mph cross-off, which will make it clean but too blown out for the size. The energy is only 60.
The real pathetic end of the run is July 30th – the swell is 3 ft from the NNE, but the period is just 4 seconds. That’s pure junk. The wind is light cross-onshore, so it’ll be bumpy and weak.
Honestly, this is a 16-day stretch where you’re better off doing something else. There’s no standout, no session to circle on the calendar. The only time the swell gets over 5 ft is that Tuesday afternoon, but it’s not good. For beginners, the swell is mostly under 5 ft, so it’s never too big, but it’s too small to be worth it. For experts, there’s nothing. The beach break setup won’t do you any favors with these short periods.
If you’re desperate, the cleanest windows are the July 21st afternoon and maybe the July 25th morning with the fresh cross-off wind, but don’t expect much. I’d say this lull is normal for the area – it tends to go flat, and forecasts can change, but for now, it’s a solid blank.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Warm (max 36°C on Wed afternoon, min 22°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 28mm), heaviest during Sat afternoon. Warm (max 28°C on Sun afternoon, min 20°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wed 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | S 5 | ESE 8 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 13 | S 8 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | S 5 | E 11 | SSE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
12 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 74 | 2 | 0 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | on | cross | cross-off | off | off | cross | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on |
High Tide | 9:11PM1.70m | 9:46AM1.30m | 10:02PM1.63m | 10:38AM1.32m | 10:51PM1.53m | 11:29AM1.33m | 11:39PM1.41m | 12:21PM1.32m | 00:29AM1.27m | 1:12PM1.30m | 1:20AM1.15m | 2:05PM1.29m | 2:14AM1.05m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:45PM-0.13m | 3:41AM-0.19m | 3:39PM-0.10m | 4:30AM-0.16m | 4:34PM-0.04m | 5:17AM-0.12m | 5:29PM0.04m | 6:04AM-0.04m | 6:25PM0.13m | 6:51AM0.04m | 7:24PM0.21m | 7:39AM0.12m | 8:25PM0.27m | 8:29AM0.20m | |||||||
— | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:48 | |
8:22 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:20 | — | — | 8:19 | — | 8:19 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 18 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 7 | 2 |
Temp °C | 36 | 34 | 30 | 32 | 31 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 30 | 29 | 23 |
Feels °C | 34 | 34 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 22 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 25 | 23 | 21 | 24 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SSW 5 | S 5 | ESE 8 | S 5 | S 5 | S 5 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 13 | S 7 | S 8 | S 8 | S 9 | SSE 8 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 8 |
12 | 28 | 13 | 7 | 18 | 20 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 159 | 149 | 144 | 207 | 112 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 82 | 178 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 15 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | — | SE 14 | SE 13 | E 8 | SE 13 | SE 13 | W 4 | NNE 4 | SE 12 | — | — | SE 12 | E 11 | — |
1 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | — | 7 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 6 | — | — | 5 | 2 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 17 | SE 16 | ENE 3 | — | SE 15 | SE 15 | SE 14 | SE 14 | E 9 | E 9 | — | — | — | — | SE 12 | SE 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
5 | 11 | 1 | — | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 4 | — | — | SSW 4 | NE 3 | NNE 4 | NE 3 | S 5 | SSE 4 | S 5 | S 7 | W 4 | W 4 | N 3 | — | — | SSE 8 | S 7 | S 5 | — | — |
21 | — | — | 15 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 6 | 67 | 240 | 16 | 12 | 5 | — | — | 94 | 100 | 74 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 214 | 264 | 1569 | 1449 | 142 | 951 | 943 | 1395 | 943 | 29 | 440 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 287 | 84 | 313 | 78 | 3 | 66 |
Best forecast wave conditions in New Jersey | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Crystals Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Crystals provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Crystals can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Crystals 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 (Crystals) 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 Crystals 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.
Crystals is 1 km (1 miles) from Atlantic City. If you plan a vacation in New Jersey, look for hotels and other accommodation in Atlantic City. Atlantic City has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











