The South Jetty Surf Break

Lat Long: 39.39° N 74.39° W

The South Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 am 28 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's The South Jetty sea temperature is
24.9°C
2.2° 

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


The South Jetty surf forecast from 28 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 8s period, ESE swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 11s period, ESE swell with 81 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 28 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 8s period with ESE 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 Friday (Aug 28) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at The South Jetty in the next 16 days are 0.6m 11s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 29) at 5AM.

Wave TypeTime (EDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8AM (Fri 28th Aug)2ft (0.6m) 8s
Best Surf 8AM (Fri 28th Aug)2ft (0.6m) 8s
Most Powerful11AM (Wed 2nd Sep)2ft (0.6m) 11s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for The South Jetty over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright mates, Rusty here. Let’s be straight – The South Jetty is looking pretty quiet for the next couple of weeks. There’s a long stretch of small surf, but a few clean windows might get you wet.

The water is sitting at 77° right now, which is about 4° warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s a nice warm bath feel for late August.

We start off flat. Friday the 28th through Monday the 31st is all tiny, weak waves – mostly 1ft to 2ft, with short periods under 8 seconds. Wind is all over the place, from cross-onshore to glassy, but the swell just isn’t there. Combined energy is low (59 down to 13), so leave the board at home.

Tuesday the 1st of September is more of the same – 1ft slop with cross-shore chop. Not worth it.

Then Wednesday the 2nd of September morning gives a glimmer of hope. Glassy surface, 2ft swell from the ESE with an 11-second period, and combined energy of 86. It’s still small and ordinary, but at least it’s clean. If you’re desperate, that’s your best early bet.

Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th stay tiny, but wind goes offshore (SW and then NW), so the surface is clean. Still, 1ft swell with 8-second period isn’t going to get the heart pumping.

Saturday the 5th of September has a bit more – 2ft from the south, but period drops to 6 seconds. Wind is offshore though, so it’s clean but weak. Energy is only 32.

The following week is more of the same. Sunday the 6th and Monday the 7th are poor, with tiny swell and crossed-up wind. The only real standout comes on Tuesday the 8th of September. Morning has offshore NW wind at 16 mph, 2ft swell from the SSE with a 10-second period, and combined energy of 57. It’s not big, but it’s clean and the longer period gives it a bit of shape. The afternoon keeps the offshore wind but drops to 2ft. This is probably the best window in the whole 16 days – still small, but surfable and tidy.

Wednesday the 9th of September morning goes glassy again with 3ft from the SSW, but period is a short 5 seconds. Energy is 63, but the waves will be weak and lumpy. Afternoon turns choppy again.

From Thursday the 10th through Saturday the 12th, it’s all downhill – tiny swell, onshore or cross-shore wind, and energy dropping into the 20s. The 12th has fresh NE wind at 19 mph, making it lumpy and messy.

So, what’s the call? If you’re hankering for a surf, Wednesday the 2nd of September morning is your first real chance, though it’s small. The best of the lot is Tuesday the 8th of September – clean offshore wind, a bit of period, and just enough swell to make it interesting. The rest is mostly flat and forgettable. For beginners, the swell never gets over 5ft, so it’s safe, but there’s just not much to ride.

The South Jetty is a beach/jetty setup, so with the tiny swell and light winds, it’s more of a paddle and float session than a proper surf. When the wind picks up – like on the 12th – it’s more interesting for kite surfers than anyone on a shortboard.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Warm (max 26°C on Fri afternoon, min 21°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Mon morning. Warm (max 30°C on Tue afternoon, min 22°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
28
Saturday
29
Sunday
30
Monday
31
Tuesday
1
Wednesday
2
Thursday
3
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
1
1
0
1
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)
0.6
ESE
8
0.5
SE
8
0.4
ESE
8
0.8
ENE
5
0.4
SE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.3
SE
8
0.3
SE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.4
SE
7
0.3
SE
7
0.3
SE
7
0.4
SE
12
0.6
ESE
11
0.6
SE
11
0.5
SE
10
0.4
SE
9
0.4
ESE
9
0.4
ESE
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
47
35
26
27
16
17
18
18
11
9
14
13
7
7
53
81
71
47
29
31
28
Wind (km/h)
10
SSW
15
SSW
20
N
20
NE
15
E
10
SSE
10
SSW
20
S
20
SW
0
SSE
5
SE
10
WSW
5
S
20
SW
5
W
5
NNE
10
ESE
5
W
5
SW
15
W
15
NNW
Wind State
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
glassy
on
cross-off
cross-on
cross
cross-off
glassy
on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
High Tide
8:56AM1.24m
9:09PM1.43m
9:31AM1.30m
9:44PM1.40m
10:06AM1.35m
10:21PM1.35m
10:43AM1.38m
11:01PM1.28m
11:26AM1.41m
11:47PM1.20m
12:16PM1.41m
00:42AM1.12m
1:12PM1.41m
1:42AM1.06m
Low Tide
2:40PM0.14m
3:10AM0.06m
3:19PM0.12m
3:42AM0.05m
3:59PM0.12m
4:17AM0.06m
4:44PM0.15m
4:55AM0.09m
5:37PM0.20m
5:41AM0.14m
6:38PM0.24m
6:34AM0.18m
7:42PM0.28m
rain showers
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
light rain
thunderstorm
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
cloud
part cloud
rain showers
clear
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:20
6:22
6:22
6:24
6:24
6:26
6:26
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:35
7:32
7:31
7:30
7:29
7:27
7:25
 mm
1
3
2
1
4
1
1
1
Temp °C
25
26
26
22
22
22
24
25
24
23
25
26
25
30
29
27
28
29
27
35
29
Feels °C
27
28
27
19
20
23
25
24
23
27
28
29
28
30
31
31
32
31
31
36
31
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
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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.

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