
Surf Forecasts:
The Inlet and Pier surf forecast from 21 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 26 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 8s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 21 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 6s period, S swell with 151 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 26 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 8s period with SE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The Inlet and Pier this week:
The surf forecast for The Inlet and Pier over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Inlet and Pier in the next 16 days are 1.5m 6s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.1m 7s period and expected on Monday (Jul 27) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Tue 21st Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Inlet and Pier over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let me level with you straight up – the outlook for The Inlet and Pier over the next sixteen days is a tough one to write. I’m staring at a forecast that is pretty much flat or blown out for the entire period. There are no standout sessions to get excited about, no hidden gems. The very first surf recommendation we get is a tiny wobbler and it just doesn’t get better from there.
The water temperature right now is running 79°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, about 4° above the average. That’s notable, but it won’t help the surf.
We kick off on Tuesday, July 21st, with a tiny 4ft swell from the south, but it’s a shocker – a short period of just 5 seconds. Combine that with a nasty 19 mph cross-shore wind from the south, and you’ve got lumpy, choppy, poor conditions. The combined swell energy is a weak 74, so there’s just no power.
From Wednesday the 22nd right through to Saturday the 26th, it’s a real desert. The wave heights are barely 3 ft or less, mostly under 3ft. The winds are constantly onshore or cross-onshore, keeping everything messy. The combined energy figures are in the double digits, the lowest being 27 and the highest just 72, so we’re dealing with very weak, un-rideable slop.
There’s a gap from Sunday the 27th all the way to the end of the forecast. We see some days with proper offshore wind, like on the 28th and 29th of July, and again on the 31st of July and into early August, but the swell is virtually non-existent. Waves are listed as zero or just ankle-high. Even when the wind turns offshore and clean, there’s simply nothing to push through.
The entire second week is more of the same. From August 1st to the 5th, we’re stuck with the same story: knee-high to ankle-high dribble, mostly from the east or southeast, with periods so short there’s no energy. The combined energy never breaks out of the 20s and 30s. It’s heartbreaking.
Look, I’ve got to be honest. This is one of those stretches where the area lives up to its reputation. It’s a very consistent break usually, but right now there is no surf on offer. For a beach/jetty setup like this with the wind charts reading as they do, this is looking more interesting for a kite surfer looking for a flat-water session than a paddle surfer. Hold tight, forecasts can change, and it tends not to stay this poor for long.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 89mm), heaviest during Tue night. Warm (max 29°C on Wed afternoon, min 20°C on Tue night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Mon morning, min 20°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 5 | NNE 4 | S 8 | S 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | ENE 5 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 6 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | S 5 | S 7 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
71 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 24 | 21 | 21 | 35 | 66 | 46 | 51 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 23 | 11 | 32 | 0 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 2:12AM0.84m | 2:57PM1.05m | 3:08AM0.78m | 3:54PM1.06m | 4:05AM0.76m | 4:48PM1.09m | 4:59AM0.77m | 5:38PM1.13m | 5:48AM0.80m | 6:24PM1.17m | 6:34AM0.84m | 7:07PM1.22m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:29PM0.21m | 8:27AM0.14m | 9:31PM0.25m | 9:16AM0.17m | 10:34PM0.26m | 10:06AM0.18m | 11:33PM0.26m | 10:57AM0.17m | 00:21AM0.24m | 11:47AM0.14m | 1:02AM0.21m | 12:34PM0.11m | 1:39AM0.18m | |||||||
— | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | |
8:19 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:17 | — | — | 8:16 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:15 | — | |
mm | 9 | 58 | — | 1 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 |
Temp °C | 28 | 28 | 26 | 29 | 27 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
Feels °C | 27 | 28 | 25 | 28 | 28 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 26 | 26 | 28 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 12 | SSE 8 | — | S 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SSE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ENE 6 | SE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | — |
3 | 220 | — | 165 | 101 | 57 | 33 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 43 | 25 | 51 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 23 | 11 | 11 | — | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NNE 4 | — | — | — | SE 8 | SE 8 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | S 6 | SE 8 | S 7 | ESE 7 | SE 8 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | — | — |
— | 7 | — | — | — | 44 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 28 | 14 | 21 | 28 | 15 | 13 | 6 | 3 | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 8 | — | — | — | — | S 6 | S 5 | — | S 6 | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 5 | N 3 | S 8 | S 8 | NNW 2 | NE 4 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | ENE 4 | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | — | — | — | — | S 4 | S 5 | S 5 | S 7 |
71 | 6 | 167 | 282 | 1 | 17 | 24 | 12 | 21 | 35 | 66 | 46 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 25 | 32 | 340 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1143 | 13 | 176 | 8 | 68 | 68 | 350 | 231 | 279 | 304 | 276 | 253 | 304 | 0 | 129 | 979 | 132 | 304 | 1437 | 8 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Maryland | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the The Inlet and Pier Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for The Inlet and Pier provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at The Inlet and Pier can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our The Inlet and Pier 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 (The Inlet and Pier) 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 The Inlet and Pier 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.
The Inlet and Pier is 3 km (2 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.










