Surf Forecasts:
Indian River (Southside) surf forecast from 23 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 27 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 8s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 27 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 9s period, ESE swell with 47 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 8s period with ESE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Indian River (Southside) this week:
The surf forecast for Indian River (Southside) over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 0.6m and 4s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Indian River (Southside) in the next 16 days are 0.5m 9s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) 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 0.4m 3s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Indian River (Southside) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s look at what we’ve got for the Indian River (Southside). I’ll be straight with you – this stretch is looking pretty grim for the next couple of weeks. There’s a big old gap of no good surf right from the start.
Overall Pattern
We are looking at a long, dry spell. The forecast kicks off with a few days of nothing but flat, weak conditions. From Sunday the 23rd of August right through to Friday the 4th of September, the waves are just too small and messy to bother with. That’s nearly two weeks of near-flat to tiny, poor surf. The combined swell energy is barely a whisper, sitting in the low double digits (9 to 58), which is weak as dishwater. The wind will be onshore or cross-shore most of that time, chopping up what little bump there is. Honestly, the water temperature is sitting at a warm 77°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that's small comfort when there's nothing to ride.
The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t show up until Saturday the 5th of September. We see a jump in swell height to 3ft from the SE, with a period of 12 seconds and the combined energy finally hitting a moderate 212. That’s a groundswell, which means more energy and shape, but it also means longer lulls between sets. The wind is set to be a clean, cross-offshore from the NNW in the morning, which is a huge plus for tidying things up. It’s still small, but for this spot, that’s the standout.
The Standout
The only window worth talking about is Saturday morning, the 5th of September at Indian River (Southside). This is an exposed beach and jetty setup, so it can handle a bit of direction. The swell will be coming from the SE at around 3ft, with a 12-second period. The wind is forecast to be light and cross-off from the NNW, which should keep the surface glassy and clean. The combined swell energy of 212 is moderate, so there’s a bit of push. This isn't a day for beginners – it’s more for the advanced crew who know the sandbars. The spot is fairly consistent, but with a 12-second period groundswell at a beach break, it might wall up and close out a bit, so don't expect perfection. Crowds can be an issue here often, but with how bad the rest of the run has been, there might be a few folks out. It’s the one bright spot in a pretty bleak outlook.
After that Saturday morning, it drops back off again into small, choppy stuff for the rest of the period. If you're not locked in for that Saturday session, I’d keep an eye on the charts, but for now, it’s a long wait for a small window.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Sun afternoon, min 21°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 27°C on Fri night, min 22°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 8 | S 5 | SSE 6 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | SE 4 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | SSE 6 | ESE 8 | S 5 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 6 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 26 | 23 | 22 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 17 | 20 | 31 | 33 | 28 | 29 | 26 | 17 | 17 | 24 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | off | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 6:30PM0.94m | 6:27AM0.72m | 7:15PM0.96m | 7:15AM0.76m | 7:55PM0.98m | 7:58AM0.79m | 8:31PM0.99m | 8:38AM0.83m | 9:06PM0.99m | 9:17AM0.87m | 9:39PM0.98m | 9:55AM0.90m | 10:13PM0.96m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:19AM0.25m | 00:44AM0.28m | 12:10PM0.22m | 1:24AM0.25m | 12:54PM0.18m | 1:58AM0.22m | 1:36PM0.13m | 2:29AM0.18m | 2:16PM0.10m | 2:58AM0.13m | 2:57PM0.08m | 3:29AM0.10m | 3:38PM0.07m | 4:01AM0.07m | |||||||
 | |  | | |  | | | |  | |  | | | |  | | | | | | |
 | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — |
 | — | 7:44 | — | — | 7:42 | — | — | 7:40 | — | — | 7:38 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:36 | — | — | 7:35 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 25 | 28 | 27 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 |
Feels °C | 25 | 26 | 26 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 20 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 28 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 4 | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 5 | SE 5 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SSE 6 | ESE 9 | E 14 | SE 5 | ESE 9 | SSE 6 | SSE 5 | ESE 8 | S 5 | S 6 | SSE 5 | ESE 8 |
| kJ | 1 | 4 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 22 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 15 | 4 | 17 | 31 | 33 | 17 | 27 | 20 | 16 | 9 | 24 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | SSE 5 | — | S 5 | ESE 9 | E 5 | E 6 | ESE 8 | E 12 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | E 11 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 5 |
| kJ | 6 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 26 | 23 | 2 | — | 2 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 3 | 31 | 28 | 2 | 26 | 17 | 17 | 2 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 5 | ESE 12 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ESE 10 | E 6 | E 6 | E 12 | — | E 5 | E 5 | — | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | ENE 4 |
| kJ | 2 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 3 | — | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 5 | — | — | — | — | N 3 | SSE 4 | SSW 3 | — | SSE 6 | SE 4 | — | SSE 4 | — | — | S 5 | — | ENE 3 | ENE 4 | — |
| kJ | — | 13 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | 6 | 17 | — | 13 | — | — | 29 | — | 4 | 5 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 335 | 2 | 74 | 141 | 188 | 141 | 458 | 598 | 141 | 330 | 1039 | 551 | 282 | 515 | 8 | 2 | 14 | 2 | 75 | 217 | 411 |
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.
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