Manasquan Inlet Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. The outlook here is a tough one for Manasquan Inlet. We’re looking at a long stretch of very small, short-period windswell, constantly fighting onshore or cross-shore winds, and the surf quality is just plain poor for most of the next two weeks. The first real surfable moment doesn’t show up until Wednesday afternoon, July 29th, and even then, it’s pretty ordinary.

The Overall Pattern: The swell is tiny, mostly under 3 ft, with periods between 4 and 8 seconds, so it's all local windswell with no real push. The wind is a constant problem. A lot of onshore and cross-on conditions will keep the waves choppy and messy. For the first several days, the combined energy is weak, often below 100. There’s a gap of almost no surf worth mentioning from the start until Wednesday afternoon, July 29th.

Wednesday, July 29th – Morning: Still a no-go. The swell is 4 ft from the SE but with a weak 7-second period and cross-shore wind. The surf is poor.

Wednesday, July 29th – Afternoon: We finally get a window. The wind swings to a light cross-offshore from the NNW at 10 km/h, cleaning things up. Swell is 3 ft from the SE, period 7 seconds. The combined energy is only 70, so it’s weak. The comment says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." It’s a session for the shortboard that’s desperate for a paddle, but don’t expect much.

Thursday, July 30th – Morning: Similar story. Swell drops to 2 ft from the SE, 8-second period. Wind is NW at 15 km/h, keeping it clean. Combined energy is 62. Still ordinary, but clean.

Thursday, July 30th – Afternoon: This is the best of the bunch. The swell is still 2 ft, but the wind goes glassy – true glassy conditions, with a NW breeze at only 5 km/h. Combined energy is 68. This is the moment for a longboard or a funboard. It’s the only time the report mentions "glassy" conditions. This is the standout. The water temperature is 73°F, which is spot on average for this time of year, with only a +0.5°F anomaly, so nothing unusual for the Jersey Shore.

Friday, July 31st onwards: The bottom falls out. The swell drops to 1 ft to 2 ft, with periods getting shorter, and the wind turns onshore or cross-on from the NE, SE, and SSE. The combined energy stays in the teens to low 50s. The surf is "poor" for the rest of the forecast period. There’s a couple of moments on August 11th where the wind goes offshore, but the swell is still weak (3 ft to 3 ft) and short period (6 seconds), combined energy around 62-65. It’s "surfable" but ordinary.

The Verdict: If you’re a beginner, the swell is mostly under 5 ft, so it’s not too big, but the conditions are so lumpy and weak that it won’t be fun. For experts, there’s nothing here that even registers. The only true standout is the glassy Thursday afternoon session on July 30th. That’s your window. Otherwise, it’s a long period of waiting for the next proper swell. The crowds at Manasquan Inlet can be "often" busy, but for a 2 ft glassy wave, you’ll likely have it to yourself. This is a classic summer lull.

Rusty.

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