Wildwood Crest Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it for Wildwood Crest.

First up, I gotta be honest with you – it’s a tough stretch ahead. The forecast is a real mixed bag, and we’re looking at a long, dry spell before anything even remotely surfable shows up. We’re talking about a gap of nearly two weeks where the waves are just no good, with near-flat conditions and poor quality through most of the first week and into the second. The water temperature is a notable 78°F on Saturday the 5th of September, which is a whopping 6°F above normal for this time of year – that’s very unusual, so the water is gonna feel like a warm bath.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on the morning of Wednesday the 16th of September. The swell finally starts to build a little, pushing to 4ft from the East, but the wind is coming from the East too, a cross-onshore breeze. It’s not clean, but it’s the first time we see any decent wave energy – the combined swell energy is 113 (moderate energy). The surf is still pretty poor, though.

The standout, if you can call it that, is the morning of Friday the 18th of September. That’s your best bet. We’ve got a 5ft swell from the East, with a period of 9 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 325 (strong wave energy), so there’s actually some push behind it. The wind is a light cross-onshore from the South, which will keep it rideable but not perfect. It’s still a beach break setup, and with that much energy, waves will be a bit lumpy. It’s not a beginner’s day – anything over 5ft can be too much for the less experienced, and this is close to that mark. It’s a marginal call, but it’s the only thing worth paddling out for in the whole 16 days. The crowd factor at Wildwood is listed as “often,” so expect company.

Other than that, the rest of the window is a write-off. The swell that builds on the 17th hits 5ft, but it’s accompanied by onshore winds, making it choppy and messy. The period is short (7-8 seconds), so the waves will be weak and crumbly. For the most part, it’s a no-go unless you’re into kite surfing – the wind and swell combo on the 16th and 17th afternoons could be interesting for that crew.

So, here’s the bottom line: you’ve got a long wait, and only one real window to consider. The 18th of September morning is your best shot, but keep your expectations in check. The surf is inconsistent, and it’s a rare event in an otherwise blank run. Forecasts can change, but for now, it’s a tough one.

Rusty, signing off.

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