Surf Forecasts:
Ocean City surf forecast from 16 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 21 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 5s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 22 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 7s period, E swell with 345 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 21 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 5s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Ocean City this week:
The surf forecast for Ocean City over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 21) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 5s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 0.3m and 9s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Ocean City in the next 16 days are 1.9m 7s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 22) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 20) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Mon 21st Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 5s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Mon 21st Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 5s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Tue 22nd Sep) | 6ft (1.9m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Ocean City over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be honest, the next couple of weeks are a write-off. We’ve got a whole lot of nothing happening for days on end. The surf is going to be tiny, jumbled, and blown out by a mix of onshore and cross-shore winds. It’s a real test of patience. We’ll see a bit of energy try to push in around the 21st and 22nd, but the wind is just going to ruin it. It’s all pretty marginal, mushy, and messy. The water temperature is sitting right around average for this time of year.
The first real tease of a wave shows up on the 20th (Sunday), but it’s a fresh cross-shore mess. The 21st (Monday) has a bump in swell to 1.3m but it’s choppy. The wind stays messy through the 23rd with onshore winds up to 30 km/h, making anything we get completely raw. We get a brief glassy window on the 27th (Sunday morning) but the swell has dropped to a knee-high 0.4m.
The one true standout is the very tail end. On the morning of October 1st (Thursday), a long-period groundswell rolls in at 0.9m. The period of 11 seconds is the best of the whole stretch, and with zero wind and glassy conditions, it’ll be the cleanest surf we see. Combined energy sits at 168, which is moderate, but the quality will be there. It’s a long way off, so don’t plan around it, but that’s the one to watch for a few clean ones. Everything else is a scratch-fest.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Fri morning, min 19°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Mon morning. Warm (max 25°C on Sun night, min 21°C on Sat morning). Winds increasing (calm on Sun night, fresh winds from the ENE by Mon night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | Monday 21 | Tuesday 22 | |||||||||||||||
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) | E 5 | ESE 5 | E 5 | E 8 | E 8 | S 4 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | SE 12 | E 6 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | SE 11 | S 5 | ENE 4 | ENE 6 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 8 | 9 | 7 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 42 | 115 | 139 | 105 | 34 | 28 | 47 | 150 | 257 | 345 | 270 | 157 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross |
High Tide | 12:03PM1.23m | 00:25AM1.00m | 12:51PM1.17m | 1:17AM0.94m | 1:41PM1.13m | 2:11AM0.91m | 2:34PM1.10m | 3:07AM0.91m | 3:31PM1.11m | 4:07AM0.93m | 4:28PM1.13m | 5:04AM0.99m | 5:22PM1.18m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:14PM0.21m | 6:09AM0.25m | 7:06PM0.28m | 6:57AM0.32m | 8:11PM0.32m | 8:05AM0.36m | 9:17PM0.32m | 9:17AM0.36m | 10:14PM0.28m | 10:17AM0.31m | 11:03PM0.22m | 11:09AM0.25m | 11:47PM0.15m | ||||||||
 | |  | | | |  | | | | |  | | |  |  |  | | | | | |
 | 6:41 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — |
 | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:04 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:59 | — | — | 6:57 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | 5 | — | 3 | 1 |
Temp °C | 19 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 25 |
Feels °C | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 28 | 24 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 27 | 27 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 5 | ESE 5 | E 5 | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 7 | S 4 | E 7 | E 7 | SE 12 | ESE 12 | SE 11 | ESE 7 | E 7 | ESE 6 | SSE 5 | — | — | — | — | E 14 |
| kJ | 8 | 9 | 5 | 18 | 18 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 35 | 13 | 5 | 105 | 34 | 13 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 4 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | ESE 13 | E 7 | S 4 | ESE 12 | SE 12 | — | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 9 | ESE 11 | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 8 | 8 | 3 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 14 | 35 | — | 12 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 14 | SE 13 | SE 13 | E 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | — | — | — | — | SE 11 | SE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 7 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 14 | — | — | — | — | 29 | 29 | 12 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | S 2 | S 3 | S 4 | — | — | NE 3 | ENE 5 | E 6 | ESE 7 | SE 7 | S 4 | S 5 | ENE 4 | ENE 6 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 |
| kJ | — | — | — | 1 | 5 | 14 | — | — | 2 | 42 | 115 | 139 | 89 | 28 | 28 | 47 | 150 | 257 | 345 | 270 | 157 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1146 | 1146 | 380 | 261 | 585 | 197 | 160 | 347 | 261 | 438 | 1152 | 438 | 342 | 606 | 0 | 184 | 554 | 184 | 184 | 60 | 1 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Maryland | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Ocean City Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Ocean City provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Ocean City can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Ocean City 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 (Ocean City) 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 Ocean City 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.
Ocean City is 7 km (4 miles) from Ocean City. If you plan a vacation in Maryland, 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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