Swell Intel

Barnegat Light Surf Forecast, New Jersey

New Jersey

Harvey Cedars3-4+ftIsland Beach State Park2-3+ftHudson Ave3-4+ft
Barnegat Light surf spot

Current Conditions

Poor
Wave Height
2-3ft
knee to waist high
Swell Period
7.1s
Wind
23mph
S / Gusts 34mph
Conditions
Poor
Active Swells
Wind Swell
5.4ft @ 7sS

Nearest Webcam

Daily Forecast

3 of 5 days
Tue, Mar 312-3ft
Poor

Pretty quiet out there — 2-3ft and mostly poor with 18mph out of the S.

6am9am12pm3pm
8s E|18mph S
Wed, Apr 12-3ft
Poor - Fair

Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 2-3ft with 17mph out of the SSW. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning.

6am9am12pm3pm
8s SSE|11-19mph SSW
Thu, Apr 22-3ft
Poor

A slow one — 1-2ft waves and poor conditions with strong NNE wind at 19mph.

6am9am12pm3pm
6s SSE|13-19mph NE
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Sat
3ft
Swell building Fri, Apr 3Fair

6s period — conditions are improving beyond your forecast

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Forecast Charts

Barnegat Light Surf Spot Guide

Break
Rivermouth
Bottom
Sand
Level
Expert
Crowd
Moderate
Best Swell
E
Best Wind
W
Season
Fall

Barnegat Light sits at the northern tip of Long Beach Island where the Barnegat Inlet creates a powerful, wedging wave that breaks over shifting sandbars near a partially submerged rock jetty. The inlet's tidal flow sculpts deep sandbars that produce heavy, hollow barrels when larger swells arrive, but the combination of strong currents, submerged rocks, and unpredictable bottom contours makes this a spot strictly for expert surfers. Fall nor'easters and hurricane swells deliver the goods, but the consequences of a mistake here are severe.

Submerged rock jettyExtreme currentsShifting sandbarsBoat trafficCold waterHeavy shorebreak

Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.

Barnegat Light Surf Forecast FAQ

What is the current surf forecast for Barnegat Light?
The current wave height at Barnegat Light is 2-3ft with a 7.1s swell period. Wind is S at 23mph. Conditions are rated Poor.
How accurate is the Barnegat Light surf forecast?
Our Barnegat Light 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.
What is the breaking wave height at Barnegat Light?
The current breaking wave height at Barnegat Light is 2-3ft, produced by a 5.4ft S wind swell swell at 7s. 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.
When is the best time to surf Barnegat Light?
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf Barnegat Light is Friday 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.