
Surf Forecasts:
The Inlet and Pier surf forecast from 23 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 30 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 9s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 7s period, ENE swell with 64 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 30 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 9s 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 Thursday (Jul 30) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 5s. 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 0.9m 7s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Inlet and Pier over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. We’ve got a 16-day outlook for The Inlet and Pier, and I’ll be honest with you – it’s a tough stretch. The whole period is plagued by tiny, weak swell and mostly unfriendly winds, so there’s no real standout session to get excited about. You’ll be watching the tide more than the waves for a while.
The first few days are a write-off. Thursday the 23rd through to the end of July is all small, poor-condition surf. The swell is a pathetic 1ft to 3ft, with periods all under 9 seconds – that’s weak, short-period windswill. Combined wave energy is mostly in the teens to low sixties (max 68), which is just wimpy. Winds are a constant cross or cross-onshore from the NE to SSE, making for a choppy, messy surface. The water is a warm 79°F with a notable anomaly of 3°F warmer than normal – a touch warmer than you’d expect for this time of year, but it won’t help the waves.
We finally get a small window on Saturday, August 1st. The afternoon pulls in a glassy, light wind with a 4ft swell from the south. It’s a tiny wave, but combined energy is up to 66 and the surface is glassy. You’ll be doing a lot of paddling for a knee-high runner, but it’s the cleanest the place will look for a while. This is the only session that’s even surfable, but it’s still very ordinary.
After that, Sunday the 2nd and Monday the 3rd drop back to near-zero surf. The 3rd does show a spike in energy to 125 (moderate) from the SE with a 3ft swell and a 9-second period, but the wind is onshore from the ENE, so it’s a messy, blown-out option. That’s the biggest energy of the whole forecast, but the quality just isn’t there.
The second week remains flat and poor. Morning offshore winds pop up on the 5th, 6th, and 7th of August, but the swell is tiny – 1ft to 3ft – with no power. It’s clean, but you’ll be lucky to find a ripple. The Inlet and Pier is a very consistent spot, so this kind of flat run is unusual, but sometimes the ocean plays hard to get. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye on it.
Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Thu afternoon, min 21°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 25°C on Tue afternoon, min 19°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 8 | E 6 | ENE 4 | ENE 5 | E 7 | E 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | S 5 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | NE 7 | NE 5 | ENE 6 | SE 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
19 | 32 | 20 | 27 | 18 | 31 | 25 | 36 | 43 | 33 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 60 | 12 | 14 | 27 | 23 | 20 | 25 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | off | cross-off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 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 | 7:18AM0.89m | 7:49PM1.25m | 8:01AM0.94m | 8:29PM1.26m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 1:18PM0.07m | 2:14AM0.14m | 2:00PM0.05m | 2:49AM0.12m | |||||||
5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | |
— | 8:17 | — | — | 8:16 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:13 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 6 | 6 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 26 | 26 |
Feels °C | 19 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 26 | 26 | 21 | 26 | 27 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SSE 7 | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 6 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | S 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | SE 7 |
62 | 15 | 20 | 27 | 18 | 21 | 14 | 22 | 43 | 33 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 41 | 31 | 54 | 51 | 36 | 25 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SE 8 | NE 5 | S 6 | SE 6 | S 5 | — | SSE 6 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ENE 6 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | ENE 6 |
19 | 24 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 1 | — | 8 | 25 | 32 | 24 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SE 8 | SSE 6 | — | S 5 | — | — | SE 9 | S 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 6 | ENE 7 | E 9 | — | E 9 | E 8 |
— | 32 | 7 | — | 2 | — | — | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 5 | 7 | — | 2 | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 4 | NE 5 | — | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | E 6 | ENE 4 | ENE 5 | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 3 | S 5 | WSW 3 | W 3 | NE 7 | NE 5 | ENE 6 | — |
15 | 10 | — | 9 | 15 | 31 | 25 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 60 | 3 | 1 | 27 | 23 | 20 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 68 | 43 | 168 | 529 | 304 | 279 | 429 | 350 | 68 | 297 | 1321 | 51 | 304 | 430 | 266 | 253 | 176 | 2 | 350 | 3 | 3 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Maryland | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










