Indian River (Northside) Surf Break

Lat Long: 38.62° N 75.06° W

Indian River (Northside) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 26 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Indian River (Northside) sea temperature is
25.0°C
1.6° 

Indian River (Northside) surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Indian River (Northside) surf forecast from 26 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 6s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 27 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 9s period, ESE swell with 99 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 28 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 6s period with SE 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 Friday (Aug 28) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 11s. Another secondary swell of 0.8m and 5s is also forecast. 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 0.8m 9s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) 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 0.5m 4s period and expected on Monday (Aug 31) at 5PM.

Wave TypeTime (EDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 2AM (Fri 28th Aug)3ft (0.9m) 6s
Best Surf 2AM (Fri 28th Aug)3ft (0.9m) 6s
Most Powerful11PM (Thu 27th Aug)2.5ft (0.8m) 9s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Indian River (Northside) over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, let's get into it. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty quiet for Indian River (Northside). This is a beach/jetty setup that's exposed to swell, so it can pick up a bit of energy, but right now the wave heights are tiny and the consistency is poor. The water temperature is sitting at 77°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won't need a thick wetsuit.

We kick off on Wednesday, 26 August with a glassy morning – winds are light from the S at 3 mph, and the swell is a weak 1 ft from the ESE with a period of 10 seconds. But the combined energy is only 22, so it's really flat. The afternoon gets a cross-shore breeze, and the patterns stay poor. Thursday and Friday are similar with tiny waves and messy conditions.

Then on Saturday, 29 August, the wind swings NE and picks up, bringing a cross-onshore chop and a 3 ft swell from the ENE, but the period is a short 4 seconds, so it's just wind slop. Honestly, this whole stretch is a write-off for decent surf. The combined energy stays well under 100, and the wave comments keep saying "poor surf conditions." There's a gap of several days where nothing is really rideable.

By the time we hit Monday, 31 August, we get a bit of clean offshore wind from the WSW, but the swell is only 1 ft with a 7-second period, so it's still barely anything. Tuesday, 1 September follows with offshore winds too, but the swell drops to 0.3 ft in the afternoon – that's a lake. Not happening.

The first real hint of something comes on Wednesday, 2 September. The morning has a gentle offshore breeze from the W, and the swell picks up to 1 ft from the SE with a 12-second period. The combined energy is still only 53, but the period is longer, which gives a bit more shape. The afternoon could be the best of the whole run: light S wind, cross-offshore, clean waves, and the swell bumps to 2 ft from the ESE at 11 seconds. Energy hits 89. It's still weak, but it's the cleanest window in the whole forecast.

After that, it's back to junk. The rest of the first week of September is dominated by strong NE winds and cross-onshore chop, with swell heights hovering around 3 ft to 3 ft but with short periods and heavy energy readings that climb into the 100s – that's moderate energy, but the wind is fresh and the quality is poor. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-surfing one.

The final few days, around 8 to 10 September, show a little more offshore wind, especially on the 10th with a strong W breeze, but the swell is tiny and weak. Nothing to get excited about. The best call for the whole 16 days is the clean, glassy windows on Wednesday morning, 26 August, and the clean cross-offshore on Wednesday afternoon, 2 September, but only if you're desperate for a tiny, clean wave. Otherwise, the outlook is a long, flat run.

Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Fri afternoon. Warm (max 27°C on Thu morning, min 22°C on Wed morning). Winds increasing (calm on Wed morning, fresh winds from the SSE by Thu afternoon).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Some drizzle, heaviest during Mon afternoon. Warm (max 27°C on Mon morning, min 22°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light.

Wednesday
26
Thursday
27
Friday
28
Saturday
29
Sunday
30
Monday
31
Tuesday
1
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
ESE
10
0.4
ESE
9
0.4
ESE
9
0.8
SSE
5
0.5
ESE
9
0.9
SE
6
0.6
ESE
8
0.5
ESE
8
0.4
ESE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.3
ESE
8
0.3
ESE
8
0.3
ESE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.4
SE
7
0.4
SE
7
0.4
SE
7
0.4
SE
7
0.3
SE
7
0.4
SE
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
18
25
31
40
46
56
54
39
26
17
13
13
14
18
16
14
12
12
11
7
21
Wind (km/h)
5
SSE
25
SSE
25
S
25
S
30
SSE
10
NW
5
NW
5
SE
10
W
20
NNE
15
ENE
10
ESE
10
SSE
25
SSE
15
SW
5
NNW
15
ESE
5
SSW
15
SSW
15
W
15
SW
Wind State
glassy
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
off
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross
cross-off
glassy
on
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
High Tide
8:12PM0.94m
8:37AM0.83m
8:49PM0.95m
9:13AM0.87m
9:25PM0.95m
9:48AM0.90m
10:01PM0.94m
10:23AM0.92m
10:39PM0.91m
11:02AM0.94m
11:22PM0.87m
11:45AM0.94m
00:11AM0.82m
Low Tide
1:12PM0.10m
1:48AM0.03m
1:56PM0.07m
2:27AM-0.00m
2:39PM0.05m
3:04AM-0.02m
3:21PM0.04m
3:39AM-0.02m
4:01PM0.04m
4:13AM-0.02m
4:43PM0.05m
4:48AM0.00m
5:27PM0.08m
clear
clear
rain showers
thunderstorm
clear
thunderstorm
part cloud
thunderstorm
mod rain
cloud
cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
thunderstorm
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:22
6:24
6:24
6:26
6:26
6:28
6:28
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:38
7:37
7:37
7:35
7:34
7:31
7:30
 mm
1
2
2
6
6
1
Temp °C
23
25
25
27
25
26
24
25
26
23
23
24
25
26
25
27
26
25
29
35
33
Feels °C
24
22
23
26
23
26
26
28
28
22
23
26
27
25
24
31
27
28
30
34
34
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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