Florida - East Coast
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Hightower 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: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Poor. Aim for the middle of the day — 2-3ft on NE swell at 6s with strong ESE wind at 17mph.
Sun, May 17: 3–4ft, 5s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on ENE swell at 10s with 12mph ESE winds. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Mon, May 18: 4–5ft, 5s period, rated Poor - Fair. Pretty quiet out there — 4-5ft and mostly poor - fair with moderate ESE wind around 7mph. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 13mph.
Tue, May 19: 4–5ft, 6s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 4-5ft on E swell at 6s with moderate ESE wind around 9mph. Surf tapers off through the afternoon to 3-4ft.
Wed, May 20: 3–4ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 4-5ft waves on E swell at 8s and light winds out of the ESE. Onshore flow builds through the day to 13mph, bringing conditions down to poor - fair.
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Hightower Beach sits between the more famous Perkins and RC's breaks in the Satellite Beach corridor, where a broken coquina rock shelf offshore creates defined reef-influenced peaks. Depending on sand accumulation, it can produce long, fast, occasionally hollow lefts on N/NE groundswells and holds double-overhead-plus surf. A mellower, more under-the-radar alternative to its neighbors.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Hightower Beach is 2-3+ft with a 4.35s swell period. Wind is ESE at 12mph 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 Hightower Beach is 2-3+ft, produced by a 1.1ft NE primary swell at 6s, a 0.3ft ENE secondary swell at 12s, a 2.6ft ESE 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 Hightower Beach is Monday from 7 AM to 10 AM with 4ft waves, a 5.2s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Hightower Beach works best with a NE 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 Hightower 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.
Hightower Beach is a reef with a rock bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Hightower Beach sits between the more famous Perkins and RC's breaks in the Satellite Beach corridor, where a broken coquina rock shelf offshore creates defined reef-influenced peaks. Depending on sand accumulation, it can produce long, fast, occasionally hollow lefts on N/NE groundswells and holds double-overhead-plus surf. A mellower, more under-the-radar alternative to its neighbors.
The prime season at Hightower Beach is winter, 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 Hightower Beach include shallow coquina reef, rip currents, sharks. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Hightower 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.
