LBI Long Beach Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve gotta be straight with ya—this forecast for LBI Long Beach Island is a long, flat, and frustrating watch for the next couple of weeks. There’s no good surf on the cards until we’re well into the second week, so don’t be holding your breath for any solid sessions just yet.

We kick off on Tuesday the 7th of July with nothing worth paddling out for—morning has a weak 4ft ENE swell at a short 6 seconds, cross-off wind out of the NNE at 12 mph, but the combined energy is only 119 and it’s labelled poor surf. The water is sitting at a very unusual 76°, a whopping 6°F warmer than average for this time of year—that’s a proper anomaly, so if you do get in, it’s going to feel like a bath. Through Wednesday and Thursday the swell stays small and messy, all cross or cross-on winds, and the wave comment keeps calling it poor. By Friday the 10th, we get a scrap in the morning—2ft from the south, light W cross-off at 6 mph, energy a weak 49—but it’s barely surfable and the score reflects that. Saturday and Sunday follow the same sad tune: tiny, weak, and plagued by onshore winds.

Monday the 13th and Tuesday the 14th are more of the same—small swells, cross-on wind, and poor conditions. The light at the end of the tunnel doesn’t appear until the 15th of July (Wednesday morning): we get a glassy, calm session with 4ft SSW swell at 6 seconds and energy at 171—still only considered surfable but very ordinary, so it’s a maybe for the die-hards. The best bet, and the only real standout in this whole 16-day block, lands on Sunday the 19th of July. That morning, a clean 7ft southerly swell rolls in with a 7-second period, light W cross-off at 6 mph, and energy jumps to a solid 432—that’s moderate wave energy and it’s flagged as “expect good surf conditions.” At 7ft, it’s pushing into the territory where beginners might find it a handful, but for anyone with a bit of experience, that’s the session to target. The next morning, Monday the 20th, also looks promising: glassy conditions, 5ft SSE swell at 9 seconds, energy at 320, and another good call. After that, the week flattens out again into small, ordinary leftovers.

So there you have it—a whole lot of waiting for one decent weekend. The break is an exposed sandbar, so with that longer period stuff (9 seconds is getting up there), it’s not ideal for a beachie, but on the 19th and 20th mornings, the wind and clean conditions might just make it work. Crowds at LBI can be around sometimes, but with so little surf before that, I reckon Sunday the 19th will have a healthy crew out. Stay keen, keep an eye on the change, and don’t give up hope—forecasts can flip.

Rusty.

Read more