Indian River (Southside) Surf Break

Lat Long: 38.60° N 75.06° W

Indian River (Southside) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 04 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Indian River (Southside) sea temperature is
24.1° C
0.2° 

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


Indian River (Southside) surf forecast from 4 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 6 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 6s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 7 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 6s period, S swell with 119 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 6 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 6s period with S 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 06) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 10s 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 1.3m 6s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 07) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 6s period and expected on Friday (Aug 07) at 8AM.

Wave TypeTime (EDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5AM (Thu 6th Aug)4ft (1.2m) 6s
Best Surf 5AM (Thu 6th Aug)4ft (1.2m) 6s
Most Powerful 5AM (Fri 7th Aug)4.5ft (1.3m) 6s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, grab your board and paddle out for the full rundown. It’s Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts, the buoys, and everything the models are throwing at us. Let’s be straight with each other: it’s a slow spell for the Indian River (Southside). The next 16 days are a bit of a waiting game, but there’s a small glimmer on the horizon.

Let’s set the scene. Right now, the water temp is sitting at 75°F, which is pretty much normal for this time of year. Nothing crazy, just your standard August water. The first week is looking pretty bleak. We are talking rideable waves but nothing that will get the heart pumping. There's some energy in the water, but the winds are not doing us any favors. The swell is coming from the SE, but with short, weak periods and a cross-onshore breeze, it is going to be choppy and messy.

For Tuesday and Wednesday, the surf is just not there. We are looking at ankle to knee-high slop, with only 2ft to 3ft of swell. The wind is either cross-onshore or cross-shore, so expect a bumpy, messy surface. It’s a full-on "poor surf conditions" kind of day. Nothing worth calling in sick for.

Thursday and Friday are a little cleaner, with a cross-offshore wind. The swell stays tiny, though, peaking at around 4ft with a super short period. It’s not going to be any kind of quality wave. The “combined energy” numbers are weak, in the 30s to 60s range, which reinforces just how anemic this swell is. It’s basically a lake with a slight breeze.

The first real chance of anything remotely surfable comes on Saturday the 8th. The morning will see a small bump in energy to 118 (moderate), with the swell still around 3ft. It's a bit more organized, with a clean, cross-offshore wind. It’s not going to be epic, but it might be your best chance to get a few grovelly ones on the longboard. The period is still short (6 seconds), though, so the walls will be crumbly. Saturday afternoon and Sunday are back to the small stuff.

The second week is more of the same, with the swell staying below 4ft pretty much the whole time. The winds do look a bit better—we get some light offshore breezes on Monday and Tuesday, and even a glassy morning on Saturday the 15th. But the swell is just too small and weak to make anything of it. The 14th sees a tiny bump in energy to 168 with a 4ft swell, but the period is still short. It might be slightly more lined up, but it's still not going to be good. The period is under 8 seconds for most of this stretch, so it's just not going to have the push or the shape you want.

To be honest, the only spot that looks like it’s got any kind of pulse is the Saturday the 15th. We get a glassy morning with a little bit of energy, but it’s still just knee to waist-high waves. It could be fun if you’re desperate. It's the only period where you might get a clean, glassy surface to ride. It won't be firing, but you might get a few fun ones.

The guide says the optimum swell direction for this spot is SSE. We get a bit of that on the 6th and 7th, but the energy is just too weak and the period too short to make it count.

Here’s the long and short of it: there is no proper swell on the horizon in the 16-day window. The water will be warm, the winds will occasionally be clean, but there just isn't any real swell to work with. It’s a typical summer flat spell. If you’re really jonesing, grab a longboard and a sense of humor. Otherwise, it might be a good time to check the tides and the fishing reports. The forecast can change, but right now, it doesn’t look like the surf will be worth making a special trip.

Be patient, stay stoked, and keep an eye on the horizon.

Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Wed afternoon. Warm (max 30°C on Thu afternoon, min 23°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Fri night. Warm (max 32°C on Fri afternoon, min 24°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Tuesday
4
Wednesday
5
Thursday
6
Friday
7
Saturday
8
Sunday
9
Monday
10
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
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
1
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)
0.7
SE
7
0.6
SE
7
0.6
SE
6
0.6
SE
6
0.8
SSE
6
0.9
SSE
6
0.9
SSE
6
1
SSE
5
1.1
S
6
0.8
SSE
6
0.9
S
6
1
S
6
0.9
S
6
0.6
S
6
0.6
S
6
0.6
SSE
6
0.9
S
6
1
S
6
0.7
SSE
6
0.6
S
6
0.5
S
6
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
47
37
34
25
45
53
50
47
82
45
49
66
60
25
26
30
61
78
40
27
17
Wind (km/h)
20
NE
20
ENE
5
S
20
S
25
S
20
SSW
20
SSW
25
S
20
SSW
15
WSW
20
SSW
15
SW
15
WSW
15
WSW
15
WSW
15
W
10
W
10
SW
15
W
15
W
10
WNW
Wind State
cross-on
on
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
off
off
cross-off
off
off
off
High Tide
1:12PM0.88m
1:20AM0.79m
2:08PM0.91m
2:13AM0.75m
3:13PM0.93m
3:17AM0.72m
4:26PM0.96m
4:30AM0.70m
5:39PM1.01m
5:46AM0.72m
6:46PM1.05m
6:54AM0.75m
7:44PM1.08m
Low Tide
7:11PM0.17m
7:18AM0.08m
8:15PM0.20m
8:12AM0.09m
9:26PM0.22m
9:13AM0.09m
10:39PM0.22m
10:19AM0.08m
11:47PM0.18m
11:25AM0.05m
00:48AM0.13m
12:28PM0.01m
1:42AM0.08m
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
thunderstorm
clear
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:03
6:03
6:05
6:05
6:07
6:07
6:09
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:07
8:06
8:05
8:04
8:02
8:01
8:00
 mm
1
1
14
1
1
9
Temp °C
24
24
25
25
27
27
28
30
27
29
32
27
28
32
30
28
32
31
31
35
33
Feels °C
24
25
29
27
27
28
28
29
26
31
32
30
29
33
32
29
33
32
32
34
33
  • 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 (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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