Surf Forecasts:
Indian River (Southside) surf forecast from 1 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 2 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 12s period, SE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 11s period, ESE swell with 79 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 2 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 12s period with SE 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 Wednesday (Sep 02) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 5s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Indian River (Southside) in the next 16 days are 0.6m 11s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 2ft (0.6m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Indian River (Southside) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is a tough one to write, but I’ll give it to you straight. Lookin’ at the next 16 days for Indian River (Southside), I gotta be honest with you, it’s pretty flat. There’s a real dry spell here, and it’s gonna be a struggle to find anything worth paddling out for.
Right off the bat, we’ve got nothing. Tuesday the 1st is tiny with 1ft of weak, short-period SE swell, and the wind is cross-off, so it’s clean but there’s just no push. The combined energy is only 17, which is barely a ripple. That sets the tone for the whole run.
We go through Wednesday the 2nd and Thursday the 3rd with the same story – small, messy, cross-onshore wind, energy readings stuck in the double digits. The best we see in that first week is Thursday afternoon the 3rd. It’s still small, just 1ft from the ESE with a 9-second period, but the wind swings cross-off and it cleans up. The combined energy hits a whopping 52 – still weak, I know – but for this stretch, that’s the high point. It’s surfable, but you’ll be workin’ for it.
After that, it’s a ghost town. From Friday the 4th all the way through to Wednesday the 16th, the swell is almost non-existent. We’re talking 0.7ft to 1ft most days, with combined energy values dropping into the teens and single digits. The wind is all over the place – onshore, cross-off, cross – but it doesn’t matter because there’s no wave to ride. Friday the 11th afternoon shows a spike to 4ft from the south with a short 6-second period and clean cross-off wind, but the energy is still only 80, and the overall forecast for that day is still “poor surf conditions.” That tells you all you need to know.
There’s nothing to get excited about here. No standout days, no clean windows with proper swell. The water temp is a touch warmer than normal at 77°F, but that doesn’t help the surf. It’s a classic flat spell for this spot. If you’re desperate, Thursday the 3rd afternoon is your only real chance to get wet, but keep your expectations on the floor. If the wind gets up, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddling out.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 32°C on Thu afternoon, min 23°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 29°C on Fri afternoon, min 21°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | |||||||||||||||
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 7 | SE 7 | SE 12 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 8 | S 6 | SSE 6 | ESE 8 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | NNE 4 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ENE 7 | S 4 | ENE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
12 | 7 | 37 | 78 | 65 | 59 | 32 | 30 | 18 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 12 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 7 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:58AM0.98m | 00:10AM0.84m | 12:49PM0.99m | 1:00AM0.80m | 1:50PM0.98m | 1:59AM0.75m | 3:02PM0.98m | 3:12AM0.73m | 4:21PM0.99m | 4:31AM0.73m | 5:34PM1.01m | 5:46AM0.76m | 6:36PM1.04m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:00PM0.15m | 6:01AM0.08m | 6:57PM0.20m | 6:51AM0.10m | 8:02PM0.24m | 7:50AM0.13m | 9:16PM0.26m | 8:56AM0.14m | 10:29PM0.24m | 10:09AM0.13m | 11:36PM0.20m | 11:19AM0.10m | 00:33AM0.14m | ||||||||
6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | |
— | 7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — | — | 7:27 | — | — | 7:25 | — | — | 7:23 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:21 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | 3 | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 28 | 31 | 29 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 32 | 31 | 26 | 29 | 28 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 |
Feels °C | 31 | 32 | 29 | 24 | 24 | 28 | 28 | 35 | 33 | 29 | 31 | 30 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 23 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 7 | SE 7 | S 4 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ENE 6 | SE 8 | S 6 | SSE 6 | S 3 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | NE 5 | ENE 5 | ENE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 |
12 | 7 | 13 | 78 | 65 | 59 | 32 | 14 | 18 | 17 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 7 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | ESE 8 | SE 12 | SSE 5 | S 5 | NE 6 | S 4 | ESE 9 | ENE 6 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | NE 4 | S 5 | E 7 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 |
1 | 7 | 37 | 8 | 4 | 15 | 4 | 30 | 6 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 15 | SE 13 | SE 9 | — | — | S 4 | ENE 6 | S 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | S 5 | E 6 | ESE 8 | SE 7 | S 6 | E 7 | E 8 | S 5 | NE 5 | — |
4 | 7 | 20 | — | — | 1 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 3 | SSW 4 | — | NE 3 | — | — | — | SSW 4 | WNW 3 | — | — | NNE 4 | NNW 3 | NNE 4 | NNE 4 | — | — | — | S 4 | SSW 5 |
— | 1 | 19 | — | 4 | — | — | — | 13 | 1 | — | — | 7 | 2 | 10 | 6 | — | — | — | 12 | 35 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 335 | 1466 | 8 | 204 | 1466 | 0 | 171 | 0 | 22 | 43 | 1039 | 330 | 596 | 1053 | 515 | 1097 | 1053 | 539 | 568 | 1164 | 459 |
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.











