
Surf Forecasts:
Fortress surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 3 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 9s period, SE swell with 196 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Fortress this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Fortress in the next 16 days are 1.1m 9s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 03) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 09) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Fortress over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m gonna level with ya—this 16-day stretch for the Fortress is mostly a flat, frustrating affair. There’s a long dry spell right off the bat, with next to nothing doing for the first 12 days. The only flicker of life comes right at the end, but you’ll need patience.
We start on September 3rd and it’s pretty grim: tiny 2ft to 2ft SE swell, mostly cross-off winds, but the energy is weak (110 down to just 6 in the coming days). Conditions are “clean” at times, but there’s no wave to ride. That flatness drags through the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th—just a series of days with heights barely 0.3ft to 2ft, poor surf, and scores of zero. The wind flips around from clear skies to heavy rain on the 4th, some clouds on the 6th, but the ocean is dead. For a reef setup, this is a tough run. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing weird to report.
Then on Thursday the 10th, we get a brief pulse: a 4ft SSW swell with a short period of 7 seconds, and fresh offshore wind from the west. It’s still marked as “poor surf conditions” with a score of 0, but the energy bumps up to 111 (moderate). The combined energy is moderate here (111). That’s a little bump, but the short period means weak, lumpy waves. The wind is clean offshore, so the surface will look good, but the swell just doesn’t have the grunt. After that, it drops back to 3ft and then tiny again for days.
We go flat again from the 11th through to the 14th, with heights 0.7ft to 2ft, all poor. By the 15th of September, Tuesday afternoon, we finally see something: a 2ft ESE swell with a period of 9 seconds, clean cross-off wind from the NNW, and the energy hits 62. The wave comment changes to “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions” with a score of 1. It’s not a standout—it’s just the only thing worth mentioning. The 16th brings a 1ft ESE swell, clean but tiny, and then the 17th and 18th drop off again. On September 18th, a 4ft ENE swell shows up with a poor 5-second period and rain showers, energy 91, but it’s cross-onshore and messy.
The one true standout? Honestly, there isn’t one. The best on offer is that Tuesday the 15th afternoon: 2ft ESE swell, clean conditions, light breeze—barely a wave. If you’re desperate, paddle out then. But for a reef break exposed to SE swell, this is a dead run. For the Fortress, a blank stretch like this is pretty normal for the area. Keep an eye on the charts; it tends not to stay this poor forever.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 27mm), heaviest during Fri afternoon. Warm (max 25°C on Thu afternoon, min 19°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 23°C on Tue afternoon, min 16°C on Sun morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the ENE on Sat night, light winds from the NNE by Sun afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SSW 6 | ENE 6 | E 7 | E 6 | E 9 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
196 | 39 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 16 | 10 | 14 | 12 | 54 | 16 | 23 | 15 | 63 | 56 | 49 | 28 | 15 | 7 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 00:10AM0.72m | 12:41PM0.91m | 1:10AM0.68m | 1:47PM0.89m | 2:24AM0.66m | 3:10PM0.89m | 3:53AM0.69m | 4:36PM0.91m | 5:11AM0.75m | 5:44PM0.94m | 6:12AM0.83m | 6:39PM0.98m | |||||||
Low Tide | 5:59AM0.08m | 7:14PM0.16m | 6:57AM0.12m | 8:42PM0.18m | 8:08AM0.14m | 10:06PM0.15m | 9:29AM0.13m | 11:08PM0.10m | 10:47AM0.09m | 11:59PM0.04m | 11:51AM0.04m | 00:44AM-0.01m | |||||||
— | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | |
7:19 | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:14 | — | — | 7:12 | — | — | 7:10 | — | — | 7:08 | — | |
mm | 1 | 2 | — | 3 | 1 | 16 | 4 | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 16 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 23 |
Feels °C | 21 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 19 | 22 | 18 | 11 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SE 5 | SE 5 | S 5 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 7 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | S 7 | E 7 | E 6 | E 5 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 |
54 | 35 | 14 | 15 | 26 | 16 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 24 | 14 | 23 | 14 | 63 | 56 | 49 | 28 | 15 | 7 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 4 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 8 | S 4 | SSW 5 | SSW 5 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 9 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | E 9 | ENE 4 | E 4 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 9 |
1 | 39 | 27 | 27 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | E 6 | E 6 | ESE 6 | SE 8 | NE 4 | E 7 | — | SE 9 | SE 9 | S 6 | SE 9 | SE 8 | S 6 | S 5 | — | — |
— | — | — | 7 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 4 | — | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SSE 5 | SSW 4 | SW 4 | — | — | NNW 3 | NNW 3 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 4 | — | — | N 3 | — | WSW 3 | WSW 3 | SW 4 | SW 5 |
196 | 36 | 14 | 4 | — | — | 3 | 1 | 6 | 54 | 16 | — | — | 1 | — | 3 | 2 | 20 | 90 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 185 | 9 | 185 | 2 | 20 | 222 | 15 | 675 | 681 | 122 | 195 | 9 | 10 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 15 | 162 | 167 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Long Island New York | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||
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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.










