Maine
Patience pays off today — morning is poor with 1-2ft.
Patience pays off today — morning is poor with 1-2ft.
Best window·Friday 6AM–9AM·2-3ft·Fair - Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Fortunes Rocks, Maine. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Poor. Afternoon is the play — morning is only poor at 1-2ft. Winds back off through the day and conditions clean up to poor - fair by PM.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 7s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on SE swell at 6s with light W winds. Onshore flow builds through the day to 11mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3ft, 7s period, rated Very Poor. Patience pays off today — morning is very poor with 2-3ft. Afternoon shapes up better with 1-2ft and very poor conditions.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3ft, 8s period, rated Very Poor. A slow one — 2-3ft waves and very poor conditions with 16mph N winds.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3ft, 10s period, rated Poor. Hold off if you can — morning starts out poor with 1-2ft waves. Things come together by the afternoon with 1-2ft at poor.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Poor today — get one free email when Fortunes Rocks turns Good.
Check Fortunes Rocks from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Fortunes Rocks is a scenic beach break tucked along the southern Maine coastline near Biddeford, facing WSW into the Atlantic and picking up swells that wrap around the New England coast. The waves here tend to be punchy and hollow when conditions align, with sandbars shifting seasonally to produce fun peaks best enjoyed during fall hurricane swells. Maine's cold water and remote feel keep crowds thin, rewarding dedicated surfers who brave the elements with quality, uncrowded sessions.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Fortunes Rocks is 1-2ft with a 4.2s swell period. Wind is SSE at 8mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Fortunes Rocks is 1-2ft, produced by a 1.9ft SSE wind swell swell at 4s, a 1.2ft SE secondary swell at 9s. 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 Fortunes Rocks is Friday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 6.2s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Fortunes Rocks works best with a E swell and WSW 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 Fortunes Rocks. 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.
Fortunes Rocks is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Fortunes Rocks is a scenic beach break tucked along the southern Maine coastline near Biddeford, facing WSW into the Atlantic and picking up swells that wrap around the New England coast. The waves here tend to be punchy and hollow when conditions align, with sandbars shifting seasonally to produce fun peaks best enjoyed during fall hurricane swells. Maine's cold water and remote feel keep crowds thin, rewarding dedicated surfers who brave the elements with quality, uncrowded sessions.
The prime season at Fortunes Rocks 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 Fortunes Rocks include cold water, rocks, strong currents, rocky shoreline, rip currents, hypothermia risk. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Fortunes Rocks 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. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
