
Surf Forecasts:
Indian River (Northside) surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 21 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 8s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 22 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 8s period, S swell with 719 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 21 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 8s period with S 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 Tuesday (Jul 21) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 1.3m and 7s. 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 2.3m 8s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 4s period and expected on Monday (Jul 20) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Tue 21st Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Tue 21st Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Indian River (Northside) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, this is Rusty checkin' in. Let's get a look at what's coming down the pipe for Indian River (Northside). Gotta be honest, the outlook is a lean one, with a long stretch of nothing much to write home about.
We're looking at a solid week of flat, blown-out junk before we get a sniff of something decent. The water is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year at 78°F, which is a nice little bonus if you're just floating around.
The first real standout is a bit of a promise, but it's a long way off. The standout is Wednesday morning, July 22nd. That's the only day that's got some serious juice. We're looking at a solid 8ft groundswell from the S, with a period of 8 seconds. That's a big pulse of energy (942) that's going to liven things up. But here's the catch – that's a lot of water for a beginner spot. Over 8ft is expert territory, and this is right on the edge. For a strong intermediate or above, with WNW winds blowing offshore (12 mph), it's going to be a clean, rippable morning. Expect it to be a magnet for the crew, as it's often crowded here. The swell direction from the S is a good match for the break's optimum from the SSE, so it should line up nicely. The period is a bit short, so it'll be a bit more walled up and less likely to barrel, but it'll be fun.
The day before that, Tuesday afternoon, July 21st, has a pulse of 4ft, but it's buried under a 22 mph crosswind and risk of thunderstorms. That's a hard pass.
After that Wednesday morning flare up, the rest of the second week settles back into the doldrums. There's a glassy morning on Wednesday, July 29th, with a tiny 3ft swell, but it's mostly just small, ordinary surf.
The rest of the 16-day window is dominated by poor surf conditions and small, weak swells. There's a significant gap from the 22nd morning all the way through to the end of the month with nothing recommended. This is a long blank run, so it's a bit of a test for the faithful. Sometimes it just goes flat around here.
So, if you're an experienced surfer, pencil in the morning of Wednesday, July 22nd. For everyone else, it's a good time to check the gear, go for a paddle, or just wait for the next system to roll through.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 24mm), heaviest during Tue night. Warm (max 28°C on Tue afternoon, min 22°C on Mon morning). Winds increasing (calm on Sun night, fresh winds from the S by Tue afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Wed afternoon, min 20°C on Fri morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NNW on Wed afternoon, light winds from the ESE by Fri night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | ||||||||||||||
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 7 | SSE 7 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SSE 6 | SSE 8 | S 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | SE 7 | NE 5 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
26 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 24 | 22 | 91 | 235 | 719 | 134 | 80 | 57 | 97 | 53 | 42 | 31 | 40 | 37 | 42 | 43 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross | cross-on | off |
High Tide | 1:32AM0.84m | 2:13PM0.89m | 2:22AM0.77m | 3:01PM0.87m | 3:12AM0.72m | 3:50PM0.85m | 4:05AM0.68m | 4:41PM0.84m | 5:02AM0.66m | 5:35PM0.85m | 6:01AM0.66m | 6:28PM0.87m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:35PM0.10m | 6:59AM0.04m | 7:33PM0.15m | 7:49AM0.09m | 8:36PM0.18m | 8:42AM0.14m | 9:37PM0.19m | 9:37AM0.16m | 10:33PM0.17m | 10:28AM0.17m | 11:23PM0.15m | 11:17AM0.16m | 00:11AM0.12m | |||||||
— | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | |
8:21 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:20 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:17 | — | — | 8:16 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 26 | 26 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 28 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 23 |
Feels °C | 25 | 24 | 21 | 26 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 23 | 27 | 23 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | NE 4 | SSE 6 | E 12 | — | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SE 7 | SSE 6 | ENE 5 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 |
26 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 1 | 4 | 3 | — | 223 | 134 | 80 | 34 | 18 | 53 | 14 | 26 | 40 | 37 | 42 | 43 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 3 | E 12 | E 12 | NE 4 | NE 4 | SE 8 | E 12 | — | — | — | — | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 5 | NE 5 |
1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 11 | 17 | 28 | 23 | 31 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 13 | — | SE 8 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 8 | SSE 6 | S 5 | S 6 | S 6 | SE 9 |
3 | — | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 13 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NE 3 | — | SE 4 | SE 5 | SSE 6 | SSE 8 | S 8 | — | N 3 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | NE 5 | NE 5 | — | — | — | NE 6 | — |
— | — | 4 | — | 24 | 22 | 91 | 235 | 719 | — | 3 | 57 | 97 | 30 | 42 | — | — | — | 11 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 73 | 139 | 331 | 1474 | 594 | 1127 | 1159 | 7 | 0 | 24 | 36 | 247 | 460 | 37 | 216 | 385 | 133 | 40 | 207 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Delaware | ||||||||||||||||||||
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 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.










