Florida - East Coast
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at 18th Street, 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, 7s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on ENE swell at 6s and barely a breath of wind. Onshore flow builds through the day to 14mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Sun, May 17: 3–4ft, 5s period, rated Poor - Fair. Pretty quiet out there — 3-4ft and mostly poor - fair with 8mph from the SSE. Expect the wind to bump up to around 13mph by PM.
Mon, May 18: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on ESE swell at 7s with light SE winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 12mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Tue, May 19: 2–3ft, 6s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on E swell at 8s and light E winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 10mph from the E and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Wed, May 20: 2–3ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on ESE swell at 6s with glassy conditions. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 13mph from the E and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
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18th Street is a laid-back beach break tucked along Florida's East Coast near Jacksonville Beach, where the Atlantic coastline faces northeast and picks up energy from passing nor'easters and tropical swells. Waves here tend to be punchy and short-lived, offering fun peaks ideal for longboarders and beginners working on their fundamentals. The spot comes alive in fall when hurricane-generated swells push up the coast, delivering some of the best conditions this stretch of Florida's East Coast has to offer.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at 18th Street is 2-3ft with a 6.7s swell period. Wind is ENE at 8mph and conditions are rated Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at 18th Street is 2-3ft, produced by a 0.8ft ESE primary swell at 7s, a 0.7ft E secondary swell at 9s, a 0.2ft E tertiary swell at 13s, a 2.4ft ENE wind swell swell at 6s. 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 Street is Monday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 4.9s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
18th Street 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 18th Street. 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 Street is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. 18th Street is a laid-back beach break tucked along Florida's East Coast near Jacksonville Beach, where the Atlantic coastline faces northeast and picks up energy from passing nor'easters and tropical swells. Waves here tend to be punchy and short-lived, offering fun peaks ideal for longboarders and beginners working on their fundamentals. The spot comes alive in fall when hurricane-generated swells push up the coast, delivering some of the best conditions this stretch of Florida's East Coast has to offer.
The prime season at 18th Street 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 Street include strong currents, rip currents, jellyfish, sharks, crowds during peak swell. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our 18th Street 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.
