LBI Long Beach Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s chew the fat on what’s happening around LBI Long Beach Island (New Jersey). It’s a sandbar setup, exposed to the swell, and the optimum direction is from the southeast. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing wild.

Honestly, I’m looking at a flat spell ahead. The next two weeks are pretty grim. The first real chance to even get wet doesn’t show up until Saturday, August 8th, and even then it’s a marginal call. The swell is coming from the SSW at 4 ft, with a short period of 6 seconds, and the combined energy sits at 210 – that’s moderate energy, but the wave quality is poor. The wind is a gentle cross-shore, which leaves a slight chop. It’s really not much to write home about, and the crowds are sometimes around this spot, so you might have company for very ordinary waves.

Before that, from Tuesday, August 4th, right through to Friday, August 7th, the surf is a write-off. Swell heights are tiny, under 4 ft, with short, weak periods (mostly 6-7 seconds) and onshore or cross-onshore winds that leave the surface choppy and messy. The combined energy is weak, often under 100. There’s just nothing worth paddling out for.

After that Saturday, it gets even smaller. From Sunday, August 9th, onward, the swell drops to under 3 ft, and the period stays short, mostly 5-6 seconds. The wind is a mix of cross and light offshore breezes, which keeps the surface clean at times, but there’s hardly any wave to ride. The combined energy is weak, often in the teens or twenties. The best you’ll see is Monday, August 10th, with a clean, light offshore breeze and 3 ft swell from the south, but it’s still very ordinary, surfable only in the most forgiving sense.

The long-range outlook into the second week, from August 11th to 19th, is just as flat. Swell heights barely reach 2 ft, and the energy is extremely weak. There’s a brief bump on Wednesday, August 12th, with 3 ft swell from the south and a 7-second period, but the wind is onshore, killing any chance of quality. The rest is just tiny waves and poor conditions.

So, if you’re desperate, Saturday, August 8th, morning is the one faint highlight. It’s the biggest swell in the window – 4 ft from the SSW – and the wind is a gentle cross-shore, so it’s not too choppy. But with a 6-second period, the waves will be weak and crumbly, and the combined energy is moderate at 210. It’s beginner-friendly, but don’t expect any barrels. For everyone else, this is a time to clean your wetsuit and wait.

Rusty.

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