Florida - East Coast
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at 16th St. South, Florida - East Coast. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Sat, May 16: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on NE swell at 7s with barely a breath of wind. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 17mph from the ESE and dropping conditions to poor.
Sun, May 17: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on ENE swell at 12s with 13mph from the ESE. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Mon, May 18: 3–4ft, 6s period, rated Poor - Fair. Pretty quiet out there — 3-4ft and mostly poor - fair with 7mph from the ESE. Expect the wind to bump up to around 13mph by PM.
Tue, May 19: 3–4ft, 6s period, rated Poor - Fair. Slim pickings today — 3-4ft and poor - fair with moderate ESE wind around 9mph.
Wed, May 20: 2–3ft, 6s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on E swell at 5s with light winds out of the ESE. The E wind kicks in by afternoon — 12mph and poor - fair by then.
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16th Street South near Indialantic is a semi-mushy wave that serves as a better high-tide spot than much of Brevard's southern coast. It can be partially blocked from NNE swells by Cape Canaveral but performs well on strong NE swells. The nearby Boardwalk area has real local surf heritage, having been the home break of former WCT pros Bryan Hewitson and Danny Melhado.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at 16th St. South is 2-3ft with a 4.4s swell period. Wind is SE at 11mph and conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at 16th St. South is 2-3ft, produced by a 1ft NE primary swell at 7s, a 0.3ft ENE secondary swell at 13s, a 0.2ft ENE tertiary swell at 11s, a 3.1ft ESE wind swell swell at 4s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf 16th St. South is Wednesday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 5.15s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
16th St. South works best with a NE swell and W winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at 16th St. South. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
16th St. South is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. 16th Street South near Indialantic is a semi-mushy wave that serves as a better high-tide spot than much of Brevard's southern coast. It can be partially blocked from NNE swells by Cape Canaveral but performs well on strong NE swells. The nearby Boardwalk area has real local surf heritage, having been the home break of former WCT pros Bryan Hewitson and Danny Melhado.
The prime season at 16th St. South is fall, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at 16th St. South include strong currents during large swells, stingrays, jellyfish, occasional rip currents, boat traffic nearby. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our 16th St. South forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable. Extended forecasts show general trends. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
