Florida - East Coast
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Crescent Beach, 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: 1–2ft, 7s period, rated Poor. Not the most exciting day — 1-2ft and poor conditions with calm winds. Afternoon breeze fills in to 15mph.
Sun, May 17: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on E swell at 9s with moderate SSE wind around 9mph. The E wind kicks in by afternoon — 15mph and poor by then.
Mon, May 18: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on ENE swell at 10s and light SE winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 10mph from the E and dropping conditions to poor - fair.
Tue, May 19: 2–3ft, 6s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on E swell at 11s with gentle E breeze. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Wed, May 20: 2–3ft, 8s period, rated Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on E swell at 7s with calm winds. The E wind kicks in by afternoon — 11mph and poor - fair by then.
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Crescent Beach is a shifty, sand-bottom beach break and the last surfable stretch before the sharky Matanzas Inlet. It doesn't hold big surf, but can turn garden-variety wind chop into fun, peaky waves depending on sandbar alignment. If the sandbars are good in St. Augustine, they'll be good here too. Well-suited for beginners and longboarders looking for uncrowded, mellow conditions.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Crescent Beach is 1-2ft with a 6.65s swell period. Wind is E at 7mph and conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Crescent Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 2.8ft ENE primary swell at 6s, a 1.1ft ESE secondary swell at 8s, a 0.3ft ENE tertiary swell at 13s. 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 Crescent Beach is Tuesday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 5.3s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Crescent Beach 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 Crescent Beach. 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.
Crescent Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Crescent Beach is a shifty, sand-bottom beach break and the last surfable stretch before the sharky Matanzas Inlet. It doesn't hold big surf, but can turn garden-variety wind chop into fun, peaky waves depending on sandbar alignment. If the sandbars are good in St. Augustine, they'll be good here too. Well-suited for beginners and longboarders looking for uncrowded, mellow conditions.
The prime season at Crescent Beach 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 Crescent Beach include strong currents, rip currents, jellyfish, sharks, holiday crowds. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Crescent Beach 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.
