New Jersey
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.
Sat, May 16: 2–3ft, 10s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on ESE swell at 9s with calm winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 17mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Sun, May 17: 2–3ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on S swell at 6s with gentle W breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 13mph from the S and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Mon, May 18: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with glassy conditions. Afternoon breeze fills in to 10mph.
Tue, May 19: 1–2ft, 9s period, rated Poor. Skip the dawn patrol — 1-2ft and poor early on. Later in the day looks more promising — 1-2ft and poor.
Wed, May 20: 1–2ft, 6s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on S swell at 5s with 9mph SW winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 14mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
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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 9.35s swell period. Wind is SW at 6mph and conditions are rated Poor - Fair. 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 2.2ft ESE primary swell at 10s, a 1.1ft SE secondary swell at 8s, a 0.5ft SSW tertiary swell at 3s. 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 Sunday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 2ft waves, a 5.7s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. 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. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
