
Surf Forecasts:
Indian River (Northside) surf forecast from 1 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 4 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 7s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 3 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 7s period, S swell with 320 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 2 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 6s period with SSE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Indian River (Northside) this week:
The surf forecast for Indian River (Northside) over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 02) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Indian River (Northside) in the next 16 days are 1.7m 7s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 03) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 2s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 01) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Tue 4th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Indian River (Northside) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be real: this is a tough stretch for Indian River (Northside). The 16-day window opens with a real dud of a run. We’re looking at a solid week and a half of flat, disappointing conditions before anything even starts to look like a wave.
The first sniff of a real swell shows up on Monday, August 3rd, but that’s still a week away. The energy jumps to a moderate 264 (moderate wave energy) with a 5ft swell from the SSE. The wind is clean, cross-offshore, which is a big positive. But the models are screaming "poor surf conditions," and that’s because the swell is short-period and the break is a beach/jetty setup. It’s going to be a messy, unsurfable mess. If you’re a kite surfer, that fresh breeze and moderate energy might look interesting, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a no-go.
The next blip comes on Tuesday, August 4th, in the morning. We finally get a bit of offshore wind from the West at 10 km/h, but the swell is tiny, just 3ft, and the energy is a weak 80. The comment says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions," which is about as generous as you can get. That’s the only real mention of anything surfable in the entire 16-day forecast, and it’s a major stretch to call it a standout.
After that, the whole second week is a total write-off. From August 4th right through to August 15th, the forecast is a parade of tiny, weak, and short-period swells. It’s all under 3ft, with energy readings that barely crack 50. The wind is mostly clean, but with no swell, clean wind just means flat water. The most notable thing is a glassy morning on Tuesday, August 11th, with a 2ft SSE swell and a weak energy reading of 57. That’s a tease, not a session.
The water temperature is 75°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so you can’t blame the cold. The crowds are "often" at this spot, but it won’t matter because there won’t be anyone out.
So, here’s the ugly truth: there are no good surf options in this 16-day window. It’s a long, blank run. For this area, a stretch like this isn’t abnormal, but it’s brutal. Keep your board waxed and your eyes on the forecast. It can’t stay this bad forever.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 27°C on Mon morning, min 23°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 28mm), heaviest during Tue morning. Warm (max 27°C on Mon afternoon, min 22°C on Tue morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Mon afternoon, light winds from the SSE by Tue morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 7 | SSE 4 | SSE 5 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SSE 6 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 5 | S 6 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
17 | 19 | 12 | 10 | 30 | 26 | 33 | 149 | 264 | 199 | 120 | 76 | 66 | 61 | 56 | 49 | 72 | 38 | 40 | 62 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:27PM0.92m | 10:57AM0.82m | 11:03PM0.90m | 11:35AM0.84m | 11:44PM0.86m | 12:17PM0.86m | 00:30AM0.83m | 1:03PM0.88m | 1:22AM0.79m | 1:54PM0.90m | 2:19AM0.76m | 2:50PM0.91m | 3:22AM0.73m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:42PM0.08m | 4:12AM-0.01m | 4:21PM0.09m | 4:44AM-0.00m | 4:59PM0.10m | 5:17AM0.01m | 5:42PM0.12m | 5:52AM0.03m | 6:32PM0.14m | 6:36AM0.06m | 7:39PM0.16m | 7:33AM0.09m | 8:56PM0.15m | |||||||
— | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | |
8:12 | — | — | 8:10 | — | — | 8:09 | — | — | 8:08 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:05 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 22 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 16 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 24 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 23 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 26 | 29 | 28 |
Feels °C | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 27 | 29 | 28 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 6 | E 6 | — | — | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 |
17 | 19 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 199 | 120 | 76 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | ESE 9 | NE 6 | E 6 | — | E 6 | — | — | — | — | E 12 | — | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | E 13 | — | — | — |
3 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 6 | SE 6 | ENE 6 | — | S 8 | — | E 9 | — | — | — | — | E 8 | — | — | — | E 8 | — | — | — | — |
2 | 2 | 4 | — | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSW 2 | S 3 | SSE 4 | SSE 5 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SSE 6 | SSE 8 | — | — | — | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 5 | S 6 |
— | 1 | 1 | 10 | 30 | 26 | 33 | 149 | 264 | — | — | — | 66 | 61 | 56 | 49 | 72 | 38 | 40 | 62 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 385 | 133 | 385 | 1075 | 638 | 1141 | 1141 | 0 | 377 | 412 | 0 | 0 | 173 | 215 | 183 | 215 | 210 | 11 | 412 | 65 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Delaware | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Indian River (Northside) Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Indian River (Northside) provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Indian River (Northside) can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Indian River (Northside) 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 (Indian River (Northside)) 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 Indian River (Northside) 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.
Indian River (Northside) is 30 km (19 miles) from Ocean City. If you plan a vacation in Delaware, 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.











