Massachusetts
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Nantucket, Massachusetts. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Sat, Apr 11: 3–4ft, 9s period, rated Fair - Good. Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 3-4ft with 20mph out of the NNW. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning.
Sun, Apr 12: 3–4ft, 10s period, rated Fair. First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on ESE swell at 10s with 8mph NNW winds. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Mon, Apr 13: 6–7ft, 7s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 4-5ft on E swell at 8s with 29mph out of the SSW. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Tue, Apr 14: 4–5ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. Slim pickings today — 4-5ft and poor - fair with 10mph from the W.
Wed, Apr 15: 3–4ft, 6s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 2-3ft and mostly poor with strong SW wind at 16mph. Afternoon breeze fills in to 21mph.
Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 3-4ft with 20mph out of the NNW. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning.
First light looks cleanest — 3-4ft on ESE swell at 10s with 8mph NNW winds. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
First light looks cleanest — 4-5ft on E swell at 8s with 29mph out of the SSW. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Nantucket, Massachusetts offers surprisingly rideable surf along its south-facing shores, picking up south and southeast swells generated by Atlantic storms and passing hurricanes. The sandy bottom breaks produce punchy, inconsistent waves that reward patient surfers willing to wait for the right conditions, particularly during fall when powerful nor'easters and late-season hurricanes send quality groundswell through. The island's remote location off the coast of Massachusetts means crowds are rarely an issue, giving surfers plenty of room to explore its various beach breaks in relative solitude.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Nantucket is 3-4ft with a 9.1s swell period. Wind is NW at 16mph 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 Nantucket is 3-4ft, produced by a 3.5ft ESE primary swell at 9s, a 2.6ft WSW 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 Nantucket is Saturday from 9 AM to 12 PM with 4ft waves, a 9.15s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Nantucket works best with a S swell and N 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 Nantucket. 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.
Nantucket is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Nantucket, Massachusetts offers surprisingly rideable surf along its south-facing shores, picking up south and southeast swells generated by Atlantic storms and passing hurricanes. The sandy bottom breaks produce punchy, inconsistent waves that reward patient surfers willing to wait for the right conditions, particularly during fall when powerful nor'easters and late-season hurricanes send quality groundswell through. The island's remote location off the coast of Massachusetts means crowds are rarely an issue, giving surfers plenty of room to explore its various beach breaks in relative solitude.
The prime season at Nantucket 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 Nantucket include strong currents, rip currents, cold water, fog, boat traffic, remote location. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Nantucket 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.
