New Jersey
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Barnegat Light, 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: 3–4ft, 10s period, rated Poor. Get out early for the best of it — 3-4ft waves on E swell at 10s and barely a breath of wind. Onshore flow builds through the day to 22mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Sun, May 17: 3–4ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 4-5ft on SSE swell at 7s with moderate WSW wind around 8mph. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 15mph from the S and dropping conditions to poor.
Mon, May 18: 2–3ft, 8s period, rated Fair. The sweet spot is around midday — 2-3ft waves, light winds out of the ESE, fair conditions. It's a bit wonky first thing but settles down. Afternoon wind picks back up so try to get wet before 2pm.
Tue, May 19: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Poor - Fair. A slow one — 2-3ft waves and poor - fair conditions with 8mph SW winds. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 14mph.
Wed, May 20: 2–3ft, 6s period, rated Poor - Fair. Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 2-3ft with moderate SW wind around 11mph. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning. Don't wait too long — the wind comes back up after lunch.
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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.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Barnegat Light is 3-4ft with a 9.4s swell period. Wind is SSW at 10mph 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 Barnegat Light is 3-4ft, produced by a 3ft E primary swell at 10s, a 1.7ft SSE secondary swell at 8s. 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 Barnegat Light is Sunday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 4ft waves, a 5.95s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Barnegat Light works best with a E 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 Barnegat Light. 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.
Barnegat Light is a rivermouth with a sand bottom, suited to expert surfers. 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.
The prime season at Barnegat Light 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 Barnegat Light include submerged rock jetty, extreme currents, shifting sandbars, boat traffic, cold water, heavy shorebreak. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
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. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
