The Inlet and Pier Surf Break

Lat Long: 38.33° N 75.08° W

The Inlet and Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 21 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's The Inlet and Pier sea temperature is
26.5° C
2.5° 

The Inlet and Pier surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


The Inlet and Pier surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 10s period, ESE swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 22 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 8s period, E swell with 49 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 28 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 10s period with ESE 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 Friday (Aug 28) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at The Inlet and Pier in the next 16 days are 0.6m 8s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 22) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 4s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 23) at 2AM.

Wave TypeTime (EDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11AM (Fri 28th Aug)1.5ft (0.4m) 10s
Best Surf11AM (Fri 28th Aug)1.5ft (0.4m) 10s
Most Powerful 2PM (Sat 22nd Aug)2ft (0.6m) 8s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Inlet and Pier over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, ol’ Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – the outlook for The Inlet and Pier (a beach/jetty setup) is pretty grim across the full 16-day window. The swell is tiny, and the wind is rarely playing nice. The water is sitting at 80°F, which is 5°F warmer than usual for this time of year, so it’s notably warmer than normal – you won’t need a wetsuit, but you will need patience.

The first sign of any rideable surf doesn’t come until Friday the 28th of August, and even then, it’s a real struggle. That morning gives you a bit of hope: glassy conditions with the wind calm, and a tiny 1 ft swell from the ESE, with a period of 10 seconds. The combined energy is still weak though, at only 58. It’s surfable waves but very ordinary conditions – honestly, you’d be hard-pressed to get a decent ride. The rest of that day and the following days are all “poor surf conditions” with tiny heights, messy cross-shore or onshore winds, and weak energy.

The Inlet and Pier is very consistent, so it’s a bit of a shock to see such a long blank run. The truth is, there’s no standout day in the whole 16-day forecast. The swell never gets above 2 ft, the period is short and choppy most of the time, and the wind is almost always a problem. Even the few moments of offshore or glassy wind come with waves that are too small to bother with.

If you’re desperate, the best I can point you to is the morning of Monday the 24th of August. It’s glassy, with a 0.7 ft swell from the ESE at 12 seconds – a long period that could produce a few clean little runners at the jetty, but the energy is only 18. It’s nothing to get excited about, but it’s the cleanest the water will be. For a bit more height, the morning of Friday the 28th of August is your next best bet, but it’s still only 1 ft.

Given the tiny swell and poor surf quality, this setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing – there’s just not enough wave for a surfboard. The ocean is basically flat for weeks.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Warm (max 27°C on Sun afternoon, min 20°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Mon night, min 20°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
Thursday
27
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
NNE
4
0.2
ESE
9
0.3
ESE
9
0.4
ENE
7
0.2
ESE
13
0.4
NE
6
0.2
E
8
0.2
ESE
12
0.2
ESE
12
0.2
ESE
12
0.3
ESE
12
0.3
ESE
11
0.2
ESE
11
0.2
ESE
11
0.2
ESE
11
0.2
ESE
11
0.2
ESE
10
0.3
ESE
9
0.2
ESE
10
0.5
SE
7
0.6
ESE
6
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
9
8
16
18
17
12
5
14
14
14
26
23
11
11
11
11
10
17
9
21
24
Wind (km/h)
15
NNE
15
E
15
SE
15
E
15
SE
15
SW
20
W
15
WNW
0
NW
5
N
5
NNE
15
NNW
20
N
10
NE
5
W
5
E
10
SE
20
SE
10
ESE
10
E
5
S
Wind State
cross
on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-off
off
cross-off
glassy
glassy
glassy
cross-off
cross
cross-on
off
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
cross
High Tide
3:14PM1.06m
3:28AM0.77m
4:14PM1.08m
4:27AM0.79m
5:09PM1.12m
5:19AM0.84m
5:56PM1.18m
6:06AM0.91m
6:39PM1.23m
6:50AM0.99m
7:19PM1.26m
7:33AM1.06m
7:58PM1.29m
Low Tide
8:33AM0.24m
9:53PM0.34m
9:28AM0.25m
10:53PM0.34m
10:25AM0.23m
11:45PM0.31m
11:18AM0.19m
00:26AM0.26m
12:08PM0.15m
1:03AM0.21m
12:54PM0.10m
1:39AM0.15m
1:37PM0.06m
2:14AM0.10m
part cloud
clear
rain showers
light rain
rain showers
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
cloud
light rain
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:18
6:20
6:20
6:22
6:22
6:24
6:24
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:45
7:45
7:43
7:42
7:40
7:38
7:37
 mm
1
3
1
3
1
2
Temp °C
21
23
23
22
23
24
25
27
27
24
25
26
22
24
24
23
24
24
24
24
24
Feels °C
21
23
25
22
23
26
25
25
26
25
24
27
19
23
24
23
24
24
25
26
26
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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