Fortress Surf Break

Lat Long: 41.02° N 71.96° W

Fortress Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 pm 18 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Fortress sea temperature is
22.5° C
0.7° 

Fortress surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Fortress surf forecast from 19 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 7s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 22 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 6s period, E swell with 119 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 7s period with SE swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Fortress this week:

The surf forecast for Fortress over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Fortress in the next 16 days are 1.4m 6s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 22) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 6s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 5AM.

Wave TypeTime (EDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11AM (Wed 19th Aug)2ft (0.6m) 7s
Best Surf11AM (Wed 19th Aug)2ft (0.6m) 7s
Most Powerful11PM (Sat 22nd Aug)4.5ft (1.4m) 6s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Fortress over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the Fortress over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I’ll be straight with you – the next week and a half is looking pretty flat and ordinary. We’ve got a real dry spell here. From Wednesday the 19th of August all the way through to Monday the 31st of August, there’s barely a ripple worth paddling for. The swell is tiny, mostly under 3ft, with short periods and weak energy, often under 100. The wind is messy too, mostly cross or onshore, and there’s a lot of chop and lumpy water. There’s a couple of mornings where it’s clean, but the swell is just too small to get excited about. It’s a proper blank run.

Now, the one bright spot in this whole outlook comes right at the end. On Wednesday the 2nd of September, we finally see a pulse of energy. The morning session at Fortress is the pick of the entire forecast. We’re looking at a clean 4ft swell from the SSW, with a light offshore breeze from the NW. That’s a clean, open face for a reef break. The combined energy is moderate, sitting at 139, and while the period is short at 5 seconds, the offshore wind will tidy it up nicely. The water temp is about average for this time of year. This is the standout session – it’s not huge, but for a reef that’s consistent, it’s going to be fun. The afternoon shows the same size swell, but the wind swings cross-shore and it gets a bit bumpy, so get on it early.

After that, Thursday the 3rd of September drops back off with a weak, onshore 2ft swell from the SE. So, honestly, the play is clear: wait for that Wednesday morning window, and make the most of it. The rest of the window is a write-off for a proper surf.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 26°C on Wed afternoon, min 20°C on Thu afternoon). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sat afternoon. Warm (max 26°C on Mon afternoon, min 17°C on Sat afternoon). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the E on Sat afternoon, calm by Sun afternoon).

Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
SE
8
0.6
SE
7
0.7
SSE
6
0.4
SE
9
0.5
SE
6
0.4
SE
7
0.4
SE
7
0.4
ESE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.8
E
4
0.8
E
5
1.3
ESE
6
0.9
SSE
6
0.7
S
5
0.8
S
5
0.8
SSE
6
1.1
S
7
0.7
SSW
6
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
38
33
32
20
19
16
11
27
18
17
21
28
117
60
29
36
55
107
43
Wind (km/h)
15
SSW
15
SW
15
SSW
15
SW
25
NNW
15
NNW
20
NNW
15
NE
15
SSE
15
ESE
30
ESE
35
E
25
E
15
NE
15
S
10
WSW
15
NW
20
W
15
NE
Wind State
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross
High Tide
00:23AM0.67m
1:23PM0.81m
1:03AM0.61m
2:23PM0.77m
1:53AM0.57m
3:43PM0.74m
3:07AM0.55m
4:56PM0.75m
5:09AM0.57m
5:52PM0.77m
6:10AM0.62m
6:36PM0.80m
Low Tide
6:07AM0.15m
7:27PM0.26m
6:51AM0.20m
8:51PM0.30m
7:45AM0.24m
10:13PM0.29m
8:54AM0.27m
11:11PM0.26m
10:13AM0.26m
11:56PM0.22m
11:19AM0.23m
00:32AM0.16m
rain showers
rain showers
clear
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
cloud
light rain
light rain
cloud
cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:01
6:01
6:03
6:03
6:05
6:05
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:42
7:40
7:38
7:37
7:36
7:35
7:32
 mm
1
1
3
1
2
Temp °C
24
25
26
25
24
21
22
21
22
22
21
18
19
19
21
24
22
26
25
Feels °C
25
25
26
23
25
19
22
18
19
20
17
13
15
18
21
24
23
22
22
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Fortress Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Fortress provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Fortress can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Fortress 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 (Fortress) 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 Fortress 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.

Fortress is 39 km (24 miles) from New London. If you plan a vacation in Long Island New York, look for hotels and other accommodation in New London. New London has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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