
Surf Forecasts:
Higgins Beach surf forecast from 22 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 23 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 9s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 22 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 9s period, SSE swell with 318 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 23 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 9s period with SSE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Higgins Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Higgins Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 23) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 9s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Higgins Beach in the next 16 days are 1.4m 9s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 3s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Higgins Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get real about what’s happening at Higgins Beach. It’s a stretch of sand that’s wide open to the ocean, so it catches whatever rolls in, but honestly, the next couple of weeks look pretty grim for any decent paddle surfing. The water is sitting at 59° which is 4° colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a thick wetsuit if you’re even thinking about getting in.
We kick things off on Wednesday the 22nd of July, but there’s no surf worth talking about that morning. The first blip of something happens on Wednesday afternoon with a 6ft SSE swell, but it’s got a short period of 8 seconds and the combined energy is moderate at 531. The wind is a cross-offshore, which cleans it up, but that’s about the only good thing. The swell direction is SSE, but the break wants it from SE, so it’s a bit out of sync. It’s just a marginal, messy option.
Thursday the 23rd morning is the best this stretch has to offer. A 3ft SSE swell, again short period at 8 seconds, with a combined energy of 140. The wind is light from the W at 3 mph, making it a clean cross-offshore. The waves are small and ordinary, but at least they’re surfable. It’s not a standout by any means, just the least bad option. That afternoon, the wind swings onshore and it’s chopped out.
From Friday the 24th of July all the way through to Wednesday the 6th of August, it’s a long, frustrating run. The swell drops to knee-high, mostly under 3ft, with periods between 5 and 9 seconds. The combined energy is weak, mostly under 100, and the wind is almost always onshore or cross-onshore, messing up what little shape there is. There’s a brief flicker on Tuesday the 28th of July afternoon with a 5ft SE swell (8 seconds, combined energy 204) and a light cross-offshore breeze, but the forecast still calls it “poor surf conditions.” The swell direction is SE, which matches the optimum, but the quality just isn’t there.
The only real window of something possibly better is on Sunday the 2nd of August, with a 3ft SE swell coming in at a longer 9 seconds, giving it a combined energy of 250 to 256. But the wind is moderate and cross-onshore from the S at 12 mph, so it’s going to be choppy and messy. It’s still not a recommendation.
This is a tough one. The whole 16-day window is a dud for paddle surfing. The consistent onshore flow and weak, short-period swells just don’t come together. If you’re a kite surfer, the stronger afternoon winds and some of those bigger, messy swells might actually look interesting, but for a traditional surfer, save your energy. The forecasts can change, and it’s rare for it to stay this poor for this long, so keep an eye out, but for now, I’d leave the boards at home.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Wed afternoon. Warm (max 26°C on Wed afternoon, min 15°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Warm (max 22°C on Sat morning, min 16°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SSE 5 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
270 | 177 | 311 | 143 | 140 | 98 | 48 | 60 | 59 | 49 | 49 | 67 | 57 | 54 | 46 | 79 | 34 | 62 | 79 | 91 | 79 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | glassy |
High Tide | 6:35PM2.74m | 7:14AM2.38m | 7:30PM2.69m | 8:14AM2.33m | 8:24PM2.69m | 9:10AM2.32m | 9:16PM2.72m | 10:01AM2.36m | 10:03PM2.77m | 10:45AM2.40m | 10:46PM2.83m | 11:25AM2.47m | 11:25PM2.88m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:14PM0.43m | 1:03AM0.34m | 1:10PM0.54m | 2:03AM0.35m | 2:06PM0.59m | 2:59AM0.33m | 2:59PM0.60m | 3:49AM0.29m | 3:47PM0.56m | 4:34AM0.23m | 4:31PM0.51m | 5:14AM0.18m | 5:11PM0.45m | ||||||||
5:18 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | |
— | 8:14 | — | — | 8:13 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:10 | — | — | 8:09 | — | — | 8:08 | — | — | 8:07 | — | |
mm | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 4 | 3 | 30 |
Temp °C | 22 | 26 | 25 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 22 | 24 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 19 |
Feels °C | 21 | 25 | 22 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 7 | — | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 |
197 | — | 311 | 143 | 140 | 98 | 48 | 60 | 59 | 49 | 49 | 67 | 57 | 54 | 46 | 79 | 34 | 25 | 79 | 91 | 79 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | S 9 | SSE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | E 13 | E 12 | — | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 6 | E 9 | E 8 |
— | — | — | — | — | 39 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | — | 12 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 6 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 13 | — | — | — | S 10 | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | WNW 3 | — | — | SW 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 3 | SSE 5 | — | SSE 4 | SSE 5 | — | — | — |
270 | 177 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 30 | — | 12 | 62 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 42 | 42 | 32 | 42 | 276 | 42 | 264 | 276 | 42 | 488 | 883 | 42 | 264 | 559 | 76 | 439 | 479 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 76 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Maine | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Information about the Higgins Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Higgins Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Higgins Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Higgins Beach 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 (Higgins Beach) 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 Higgins Beach 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.
Higgins Beach is 9 km (6 miles) from South Portland Gardens. If you plan a vacation in Maine, look for hotels and other accommodation in South Portland Gardens. South Portland Gardens has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










