Surf Forecasts:
48th Street surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 11s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 11s period, SE swell with 94 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 11s period with SE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for 48th Street this week:
The surf forecast for 48th Street over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 11s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at 48th Street in the next 16 days are 0.6m 11s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for 48th Street over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for 48th Street. I’ve gotta be straight with you – this is a pretty quiet stretch ahead. We’ve got a solid 16-day window, but the first few days are a real non-starter, so don’t bother waxing up just yet.
We’re kicking off on Monday, August 17th, with a tiny 3ft S swell out of a short 6-second period. The combined wave energy is weak (41), and while the morning has a bit of a breeze, the water is a touch warmer than normal at 78°F – that’s about 3°F warmer than usual for this time of year. Still, the surf is just poor. The afternoon goes glassy, but the swell drops to 2ft. Nothing to write home about.
Tuesday and Wednesday are more of the same – small, weak, and messy. Swell heights hover around 1ft to 2ft, and we’re dealing with cross-shore and cross-onshore winds that keep things choppy. The energy stays in the 40s, which is just flatlining. Thursday the 20th is glassy again, but the swell is a pathetic 1ft. You could paddle a longboard around, but you’re not catching anything.
The weekend of the 22nd and 23rd sees a little uptick. Saturday morning has a 0.7ft, 13-second period ESE swell – that’s a long-period groundswell, but it’s so small it’s basically a ripple. The winds are clean, cross-offshore, but the energy is still weak (44). Sunday the 23rd finally shows a pulse: 2ft from the S at 6 seconds, with cleaner cross-off winds. The energy creeps up to 52 and the conditions are described as "surfable but very ordinary." That’s the best we’ve got by a long shot, but it’s still modest. The water is still a touch warm.
After that, we hit a big gap. From Monday the 24th right through to the end of the month, the surf is consistently poor. There’s a bit of a spike on Tuesday the 25th afternoon with a 5ft S swell (187 energy), but it arrives with a cross-onshore breeze that chops it up. Then from the 26th into the 28th, we see the energy jump into the 200s and even 500s – that’s strong wave energy (528 on the 28th morning) – but the wind is howling onshore at 15 to 21 mph. The swell is 4ft from the ESE with a 13-second period, which is a nice groundswell, but the wind is just ruining it. This is a classic case of a messy, blown-out beach setup. Honestly, this stretch looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
The last day of the month, Sunday the 30th, offers a 5ft E swell with 8-second period and moderate energy (305). The wind is cross-shore, so there’s a cross-chop. It’s marginal, but it’s the closest thing to a rideable day. Then we drift into September with the same tiny, weak stuff.
So, for the standout? If I’m being honest, there’s no true standout here. The only window that’s worth a mention is Sunday, August 23rd, with a clean 2ft S swell and cross-offshore winds. It’s small, but it’s the cleanest wave we’ll see. If you need a fix, that’s your morning. Everything else is either too small, too windy, or too far out to trust. The forecast for the second week – especially the 28th with that big energy – is promising in size but uncertain in quality due to the wind.
This is a tough stretch. A blank run like this is more normal for the area, but forecasts can change. Keep an eye on it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Warm (max 29°C on Mon afternoon, min 24°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Fri morning. Warm (max 27°C on Thu afternoon, min 21°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NE on Sat morning, calm by Sat night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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 5 | SE 9 | SSE 7 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 5 | ENE 6 | ESE 12 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
12 | 13 | 19 | 21 | 92 | 33 | 29 | 27 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 27 | 31 | 30 | 17 | 15 | 40 | 48 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | off | cross | on | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | glassy | glassy | cross-off |
High Tide | 00:11AM1.13m | 12:46PM1.24m | 1:00AM1.04m | 1:34PM1.19m | 1:50AM0.97m | 2:22PM1.16m | 2:43AM0.92m | 3:14PM1.14m | 3:41AM0.90m | 4:11PM1.14m | 4:42AM0.92m | 5:07PM1.17m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:02PM0.13m | 6:13AM0.11m | 6:52PM0.21m | 6:57AM0.20m | 7:51PM0.27m | 7:50AM0.27m | 8:55PM0.30m | 8:52AM0.30m | 9:57PM0.29m | 9:53AM0.30m | 10:51PM0.26m | 10:48AM0.27m | 11:39PM0.20m | |||||||
— | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | |
7:52 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:49 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | |
mm | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | 4 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 3 | 16 |
Temp °C | 29 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 |
Feels °C | 31 | 31 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 23 | 20 | 20 | 23 | 27 | 26 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 5 | SSW 4 | SSE 7 | SSE 6 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | SSE 4 | SE 4 | ESE 9 | SSE 5 | SSE 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 5 | NE 5 | SSE 6 |
12 | 13 | 19 | 14 | 92 | 33 | 29 | 27 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 9 | 5 | 17 | 11 | 7 | 48 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 5 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | — | SSE 5 | S 5 | — | SSE 5 | E 7 | E 16 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | SSE 4 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SSE 5 | SSE 5 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 |
2 | 12 | 12 | 12 | — | 3 | 2 | — | 3 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 16 | 3 | 14 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 14 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 9 | — | SE 12 | SE 12 | — | NE 4 | NE 4 | — | — | E 16 | E 16 | E 15 | E 15 | SE 14 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | E 8 | ESE 12 | E 7 | ENE 5 |
8 | — | 6 | 21 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 18 | 17 | 5 | 15 | 4 | 3 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WSW 4 | — | — | — | — | — | S 2 | S 3 | SSE 3 | SSE 4 | — | — | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 5 | — | — | SSE 6 | — |
— | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | 13 | — | — | 27 | 31 | 30 | — | — | 40 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 263 | 273 | 223 | 341 | 0 | 59 | 1053 | 222 | 392 | 1157 | 160 | 195 | 95 | 448 | 312 | 274 | 188 | 291 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Maryland | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the 48th Street Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for 48th Street provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at 48th Street can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our 48th Street 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 (48th Street) 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 48th Street 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.
48th Street is 7 km (4 miles) from Ocean City. If you plan a vacation in Maryland, look for hotels and other accommodation in Ocean City. Ocean City has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











