Surf Forecasts:
Short Sands surf forecast from 16 Oct 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 23 Oct, 11AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s period, ESE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 20 Oct, 5AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 11s period, ESE swell with 1,186 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 23 Oct, 11AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s period with ESE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Short Sands this week:
The surf forecast for Short Sands over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Oct 23) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 3s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Short Sands in the next 16 days are 2.2m 11s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Oct 20) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 7s period and expected on Friday (Oct 16) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Fri 23rd Oct) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 11AM (Fri 23rd Oct) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Tue 20th Oct) | 7ft (2.2m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Short Sands over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Fri morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri night, min 3°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the S on Fri morning, light winds from the NNE by Sun morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue afternoon, min 4°C on Tue night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 16 | Saturday 17 | Sunday 18 | Monday 19 | Tuesday 20 | Wednesday 21 | Thursday 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) | ESE 10 | SSE 6 | SSE 7 | NW 3 | NNW 3 | NNE 5 | SE 8 | E 4 | E 10 | E 6 | ESE 8 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 22 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 41 | 153 | 988 | 761 | 452 | 463 | 422 | 393 | 393 | 518 | 505 | 561 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 3:34PM2.59m | 4:25AM2.26m | 4:28PM2.51m | 5:20AM2.21m | 5:24PM2.46m | 6:16AM2.21m | 6:22PM2.45m | 7:11AM2.26m | 7:20PM2.48m | 8:03AM2.37m | 8:14PM2.55m | 8:48AM2.51m | 9:04PM2.63m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:26AM0.58m | 10:11PM0.35m | 10:17AM0.66m | 11:05PM0.44m | 11:13AM0.71m | 00:00AM0.47m | 12:10PM0.71m | 00:55AM0.46m | 1:09PM0.65m | 1:48AM0.41m | 2:05PM0.54m | 2:36AM0.32m | 2:56PM0.37m | 3:19AM0.22m | |||||||
 | |  |  | |  |  | | | | |  |  | | | | |  | | | | |
 | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — |
 | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:49 | — |
mm | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 17 | 18 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 16 | 13 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
Feels °C | 8 | 15 | 15 | 2 | 2 | -2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 7 | -2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 10 | — | SSE 7 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | NE 5 | SE 8 | E 4 | ESE 3 | ESE 5 | ESE 8 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 8 | — | E 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 |
| kJ | 9 | — | 88 | 39 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 22 | 153 | 988 | 761 | 452 | 463 | 422 | — | 393 | 518 | 505 | 561 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | NE 5 | NNE 5 | SE 8 | E 4 | SE 8 | E 10 | ESE 10 | SE 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 4 | E 6 | SE 8 | SE 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 5 | SSE 6 | W 3 | NW 3 | NNW 3 | NNE 5 | — | — | — | E 6 | — | NNE 3 | NNE 3 | — | — | — | E 8 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 82 | 146 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 22 | — | — | — | 41 | — | 2 | 7 | — | — | — | 393 | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 837 | 891 | 9 | 228 | 473 | 25 | 596 | 122 | 731 | 1218 | 1138 | 1138 | 486 | 486 | 603 | 603 | 1312 | 1222 | 122 | 62 | 9 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Maine | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website
The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Short Sands surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
Information about the Short Sands Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Short Sands provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Short Sands can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Short Sands 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 (Short Sands) 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 Short Sands 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.
Short Sands is 17 km (11 miles) from Portsmouth. If you plan a vacation in Maine, look for hotels and other accommodation in Portsmouth. Portsmouth has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
Nearest