Wildwood Crest Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a real honest look at the next couple of weeks. I gotta tell ya, it’s gonna be a long wait for anything worth paddling out for.

We’re looking at Wildwood Crest in New Jersey here, a sandbar setup that’s pretty consistent but mostly exposed to the south-east. Right off the bat, the water temp is 77°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – nice for the skin, but that’s about the only highlight for a while.

The first week is basically a write-off. From Monday the 10th right through to the end of the weekend on the 16th, we’re scraping by with tiny, weak swell. Sizes are barely breaking 2 ft, the period is short and gutless, and the combined energy is laughably low (mostly under 20). Winds are all over the place, but the waves just aren't there to work with. You’ll be sitting on your board with nothing to ride. It’s a real bummer to start.

We finally see a pulse of life come Monday the 17th. The morning is still messy with a moderate cross-shore chop on a 4 ft south swell, but the afternoon is where it gets interesting. That wind swings to a light cross-offshore from the WNW, cleaning things right up. The swell bumps up to 4 ft from the south with a period of 6 seconds, and the combined energy hits 127 – that’s moderate, real wave energy. The water will be clean, but those waves are still short-period, a bit soft and crumbly. Not a standout on quality, but it’s the first sign of life.

Then Tuesday the 18th morning is a real tease. We get a glassy, offshore wind from the NNW, and the swell is a *long* 15 second period from the SE. That’s proper groundswell energy. It’s only 1 ft, so it’s tiny, but the period will push in a few lined-up sets, especially if you can find a sandbar that focuses that energy. A long-period swell like that can be straight and hard to catch on a beach break, but it’s the best shape we’ve seen all week.

The real standout, the only session I’d circle on your calendar, comes later. Let’s jump to Monday the 24th of August. Both morning and afternoon see a solid 4 ft to 5 ft swell from the ESE, with a period pushing up to 8 seconds and combined energy roaring at 198. That’s moderate-strong energy, the kind that thumps. Now, the wind is a fresh onshore all day, so it will be lumpy and choppy – not clean for a performance board. But if you’ve got a groveler and you just want to get some waves under your feet, that’s the most size and push on offer in the whole 16 days.

Tuesday the 25th fades back into messy, wind-affected junk with that onshore flow.

To be dead straight with you: this is a rough run for Wildwood Crest. There are no sessions where the stars truly align for perfect, clean shoulder-high surf. The brief Tuesday the 18th morning session is the most *interesting* for the purity of the swell, and the Monday the 24th is the most *powerful*. If you’re desperate, go for the 24th morning. If you want clean but tiny lines, try the 18th morning.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on that forecast. These sandbars can change quick.

Rusty.

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