New Jersey
Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 2-3ft with 10mph from the SW.
Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 2-3ft with 10mph from the SW.
Best window·Monday 9AM–12PM·2-3+ft·Fair - Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at 18th St., New Jersey. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 2–3ft, 6s period, rated Fair - Good. The sweet spot is around midday — 2-3ft waves, 11mph WSW winds, fair - good conditions. Early on is a little rough — give it until mid-morning to shape up.
Fri, Sep 4: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on ESE swell at 7s with 8mph W winds. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 7s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on N swell at 3s with moderate NNW wind around 11mph. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Sun, Sep 6: 3–4ft, 6s period, rated Poor. Hold off if you can — morning starts out poor with 1-2ft waves. Size picks up through the day, hitting 2-3+ft with poor conditions by late afternoon.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3+ft, 10s period, rated Fair - Good. Early morning is your best window — 2-3+ft waves on E swell at 8s with moderate NNW wind around 8mph. The SSE wind kicks in by afternoon — 12mph and very poor by then.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
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Check 18th St. from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
18th Street in Ocean City is a reliable beach break where jetty-shaped sandbars produce punchy, hollow peaks that reward experienced surfers. The SE-facing exposure picks up a wide range of swells, with fall hurricane season and early nor'easters delivering the most powerful and well-shaped conditions. A well-loved local spot that consistently produces quality waves when other OC blocks are flat.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at 18th St. is 2-3ft with a 5.8s swell period. Wind is WSW at 11mph. Conditions are rated Fair - Good. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at 18th St. is 2-3ft, produced by a 1.9ft E wind swell swell at 6s, a 1.7ft SE secondary swell at 9s, a 0.9ft SW wind swell swell at 2s. 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 18th St. is Monday from 9 AM to 12 PM with 3ft waves, a 8.2s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
18th St. works best with a SE swell and NW 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 18th St.. 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.
18th St. is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. 18th Street in Ocean City is a reliable beach break where jetty-shaped sandbars produce punchy, hollow peaks that reward experienced surfers. The SE-facing exposure picks up a wide range of swells, with fall hurricane season and early nor'easters delivering the most powerful and well-shaped conditions. A well-loved local spot that consistently produces quality waves when other OC blocks are flat.
The prime season at 18th St. 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 18th St. include rip currents, shifting sandbars, crowded lineups during summer, cold water in winter, occasional beach closures. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our 18th St. 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. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
