
Surf Forecasts:
The South Jetty surf forecast from 8 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 9 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 6s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 9 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 6s period, S swell with 161 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 8 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 6s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The South Jetty this week:
The surf forecast for The South Jetty over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 08) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The South Jetty in the next 16 days are 1.4m 6s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Sat 8th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The South Jetty over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at a full 16-day window for The South Jetty. Let’s be straight with each other – this stretch is a tough one for paddle surfing. The models are showing a lot of small, weak swell and wind directions that just don’t line up for this spot. The energy is low, and the conditions are mostly ordinary or poor. The South Jetty is a beach and jetty setup, exposed to swell from the SE, but the optimum direction from the guidance is SE. For the next week and a half, the swell is coming from the south or southwest, which isn't ideal, and the periods are short, around 4 to 6 seconds. That’s windswell, lacking any real punch. There are a few mornings where it goes clean with a cross-off or offshore breeze, but the wave heights are tiny, under 2 ft.
The real story here is the gap. There’s almost nothing worth getting wet for until the very end. We’ve got a solid 13 days of flat to marginal conditions. The combined energy is often in the double digits, which is weak. For example, on the 12th of August, the morning energy is only 14 (weak). On the 18th of August, there’s a glassy morning with a very long period swell of 17 seconds coming from the SE, but the height is only 1 ft, so it’s more of a pond than a wave. The energy is 82 (weak). That’s a tease.
Then, finally, on the 22nd of August, Saturday morning, things start to look a little more interesting. The swell is coming from the ESE at 3 ft, with a period of 12 seconds. That’s a groundswell, and the direction matches the optimum. The wind is glassy, and the energy climbs to 191 (moderate). It’s still small, but it’s clean. That’s the standout session in this whole outlook.
Then on the 23rd of August, Sunday morning, we see the biggest swell of the forecast at 6 ft from the south, with a short period of 7 seconds. The energy jumps to 400 (moderate). The wind is light cross-shore. The size is there, but the short period and direction mean it’s likely to be a bit messy and closed out. It’s the only time the swell gets over 5 ft, but it’s not a classic. For a beginner, 6 ft with a short period can be a handful, but it’s the biggest wave of the run.
So, to wrap it up: if you’re a surfer, the best bet is that glassy Saturday morning on the 22nd of August. It’s the only time the stars align for a clean, small, long-period groundswell from the right direction. The rest of the window is a waiting game. For kite surfers, the 23rd of August might offer some strong wind and a decent chop, but for a paddle, it’s a hold.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Sat night. Warm (max 32°C on Sun afternoon, min 24°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 32°C on Tue afternoon, min 22°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Tue night, light winds from the ENE by Thu morning). | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | ||||||||||||||
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 | SSW 6 | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | SSW 5 | S 6 | S 6 | S 6 | S 5 | S 6 | SSW 5 | SSE 5 | S 4 | SSE 5 | SSE 5 | S 6 | SSE 6 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
57 | 43 | 30 | 153 | 51 | 25 | 35 | 17 | 25 | 49 | 21 | 23 | 40 | 9 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 7 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 4:19AM1.00m | 4:55PM1.44m | 5:30AM1.05m | 5:58PM1.51m | 6:31AM1.11m | 6:56PM1.57m | 7:30AM1.19m | 7:53PM1.60m | 8:26AM1.28m | 8:45PM1.61m | 9:16AM1.34m | 9:33PM1.58m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:16PM0.26m | 10:01AM0.16m | 11:25PM0.18m | 11:10AM0.10m | 00:25AM0.09m | 12:13PM0.04m | 1:22AM0.00m | 1:13PM-0.03m | 2:13AM-0.07m | 2:09PM-0.07m | 2:59AM-0.12m | 3:00PM-0.09m | 3:42AM-0.12m | ||||||
— | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | |
8:02 | — | 8:01 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:55 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 28 | 29 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 32 | 31 | 26 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 32 | 31 | 26 | 28 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 25 |
Feels °C | 28 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 32 | 31 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | S 6 | SE 8 | S 6 | S 6 | SE 7 | S 5 | S 6 | SE 10 | S 5 | S 5 | SE 9 | S 5 | SSE 5 | SE 8 | SSE 5 | SSE 5 | SSE 5 | SSE 6 |
10 | 23 | 23 | 92 | 51 | 8 | 13 | 17 | 4 | 20 | 21 | 3 | 19 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | SE 8 | E 9 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | SE 7 | SE 10 | E 8 | SE 10 | SE 9 | E 8 | NNW 3 | SE 8 | E 11 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ENE 4 | SE 8 |
2 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 9 | — | — | E 9 | — | E 8 | E 8 | — | E 8 | E 8 | E 12 | SE 9 | E 8 | E 7 | E 8 | SE 11 | SE 8 | SE 10 |
— | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 5 | SSW 6 | S 6 | S 6 | — | S 6 | SSW 5 | — | S 6 | S 6 | W 3 | S 6 | SSW 5 | SW 2 | S 4 | — | NNE 4 | S 6 | — |
57 | 43 | 30 | 153 | — | 25 | 35 | — | 25 | 49 | 1 | 23 | 40 | 1 | 13 | — | 2 | 9 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 27 | 0 | 32 | 17 | 0 | 71 | 0 | 1082 | 949 | 36 | 256 | 2488 | 0 | 227 | 36 | 227 | 431 | 2427 | 431 |
Best forecast wave conditions in New Jersey | |||||||||||||||||||
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)
Latest Updates
Information about the The South Jetty Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for The South Jetty provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at The South Jetty can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our The South Jetty 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 South Jetty) 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 South Jetty 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 South Jetty is 4 km (2 miles) from Atlantic City. If you plan a vacation in New Jersey, look for hotels and other accommodation in Atlantic City. Atlantic City has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











