
Surf Forecasts:
Indian River (Southside) surf forecast from 4 Sep 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 9 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 5s period, S swell with 68 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Indian River (Southside) this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Indian River (Southside) in the next 16 days are 1.2m 5s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 09) 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 1.3m 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 09) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Wed 9th Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 5s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Indian River (Southside) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Indian River (Southside), this beach/jetty setup up there. I gotta be straight with you – the next sixteen days are lookin’ pretty grim for a decent paddle. This is a tough run.
We’re starting off now and honestly, there’s just nothin’ worth wettin’ a wetsuit for. The first entry is Friday the 4th, but with a tiny 1 ft swell from the SE and a period of only 8 seconds, the energy is weak at just 24. The wind is a cross-off, which is nice, but the wave comment says it all: “poor surf conditions.” That sets the tone for the whole forecast.
From Friday the 4th all the way through the next week, it’s a real flat spell. We see day after day of tiny swell heights – mostly 0.7 ft to 2 ft – with short, weak periods. The combined energy barely ever cracks 66, which tells you there’s just no push. There’s a brief moment on Tuesday the 8th with a clean, offshore wind from the WNW at just 5 km/h (3 mph), but with only 1 ft on offer and energy at 27, it’s a still, pretty, flat ocean. That Wednesday the 9th afternoon shows a jump to 4 ft from the south, but with a 5-second period, that’s just wind slop. The energy is still only 66, and the wind is a fresh cross-off – clean, but gutless.
Most of this period has onshore or cross-onshore breezes, or strong cross-off winds that do nothing to help the micro-swell. Crowds are “often” here, but honestly, I don’t think anyone will be fighting for a 1 ft wave.
There are no standouts here. The best on offer is probably the Tuesday the 8th morning session if you’re desperate for a clean surface, but you’ll be on a 1 ft, 10-second grinder from the ENE. That 10-second period is okay, but the size is just a dribble. The only other mentionable window is the 12th of September afternoon, where we see 3 ft from the NE with a 5-second period and a gentle cross-off wind – still messy and weak.
For the second week, it’s more of the same. Monday the 14th morning shows some clean glass with 0.7 ft from the ESE and a 9-second period. The energy is a paltry 11. Through the 19th, we get some long-period 12-second groundswell on the Saturday, but it’s only 0.7 ft from the ESE – all reach, no power. These long-period swells are best on point breaks or reefs, not a beach/jetty, but honestly, it’s too small to matter anyway.
Water temp: When there’s finally a little bump, the water temp is 77°F with a 5°F anomaly, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year. So if you do go for a float, it’s gonna feel like a bathtub.
Look, I hate to say it, but for a solid sixteen-day stretch, this isn’t a surf forecast; it’s a lake forecast. For paddlers, there just isn’t a quality option. The whole window is a gap of poor conditions. This blank run is pretty standard for Indian River when the swell windows don’t line up. We’ll have to wait for a better pattern to roll in. Keep an eye on the charts, but for now, leave the boards in the car.
Stay salty.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 30°C on Fri afternoon, min 22°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Wed afternoon, min 21°C on Mon morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the WNW on Tue morning, fresh winds from the SSW by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | E 6 | E 8 | E 5 | E 7 | E 8 | E 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | S 5 | ESE 9 | S 6 | SSE 6 | ESE 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
17 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 15 | 45 | 50 | 48 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 8 | 50 | 8 | 38 | 12 | 9 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross |
High Tide | 3:02PM0.98m | 3:12AM0.73m | 4:21PM0.99m | 4:31AM0.73m | 5:34PM1.01m | 5:46AM0.76m | 6:36PM1.04m | 6:50AM0.80m | 7:31PM1.05m | 7:46AM0.86m | 8:19PM1.05m | 8:36AM0.91m | 9:03PM1.03m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:16PM0.26m | 8:56AM0.14m | 10:29PM0.24m | 10:09AM0.13m | 11:36PM0.20m | 11:19AM0.10m | 00:33AM0.14m | 12:23PM0.05m | 1:23AM0.09m | 1:21PM0.01m | 2:08AM0.04m | 2:14PM-0.01m | 2:50AM0.01m | ||||||||
6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | |
— | 7:25 | — | — | 7:23 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:21 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:17 | — | — | 7:16 | — | |
mm | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 30 | 28 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 24 |
Feels °C | 26 | 30 | 30 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 24 | 21 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SSE 5 | ESE 8 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | E 6 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 8 | E 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | S 6 | SSE 6 | S 6 |
17 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 8 | 45 | 50 | 48 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 38 | 12 | 2 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 5 | ESE 8 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | S 6 | ESE 9 | SE 10 | E 9 | E 10 | ESE 8 | ENE 5 | SSE 5 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 10 | ENE 9 | E 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 |
5 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 9 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 5 | E 5 | S 5 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 9 | S 6 | S 6 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | S 5 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | — | — | SE 8 | — | — | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 |
2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 7 | — | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 3 | NNW 3 | — | — | — | ESE 3 | E 3 | E 5 | — | — | SSE 4 | — | — | S 2 | S 4 | SSW 4 | S 5 | S 6 | W 3 | NW 4 | N 4 |
4 | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 15 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | 10 | 13 | 50 | 106 | 8 | 19 | 27 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 364 | 330 | 515 | 515 | 583 | 335 | 245 | 388 | 102 | 141 | 388 | 22 | 43 | 691 | 205 | 209 | 205 | 1122 | 32 | 1466 | 273 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Delaware | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Indian River (Southside) Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Indian River (Southside) 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 (Southside) can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Indian River (Southside) 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 (Southside)) 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 (Southside) 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 (Southside) is 28 km (17 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.










