Maine
Morning kicks off with 1-2ft on SE swell at 4s.
Morning kicks off with 1-2ft on SE swell at 4s.
Best window·Friday 6AM–9AM·2-3ft·Fair - Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Long Sands, 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 Very Poor. Expect 0-1ft waves early on SSE swell at 4s. Surf fills in through the day, reaching 2-3ft by afternoon.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 7s period, rated Fair - Good. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on ESE swell at 6s with barely a breath of wind. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 8mph from the SSE and dropping conditions to poor.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on ESE swell at 7s with 11mph NNE winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 18mph from the NE and dropping conditions to very poor.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 2-3ft on ENE swell at 7s with 15mph out of the N. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3ft, 10s period, rated Fair - Good. Dawn patrol is the move — 2-3ft on E swell at 10s with 9mph NW winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Very Poor today — get one free email when Long Sands turns Good.
Check Long Sands from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Long Sands is a wide, gently sloping sandy beach break in York, Maine, offering some of the most accessible surf in the state. Facing northwest toward the open Atlantic fetch, it picks up Northeast and East swells generated by Gulf of Maine storm systems, producing mellow, rolling waves ideal for beginners and longboarders. The beach's broad expanse and consistent sand bottom make it a welcoming entry point into Maine's cold-water surf scene, with fall delivering the best combo of swell energy and offshore winds.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Long Sands is 1-2ft with a 4.2s swell period. Wind is ENE at 1mph. Conditions are rated Very Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Long Sands is 1-2ft, produced by a 2.2ft SE wind swell swell at 4s, a 1.3ft 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 Long Sands is Friday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 2ft waves, a 6.2s swell period, and conditions rated Fair - Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Long Sands works best with a SE swell and NW 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 Long Sands. 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.
Long Sands is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Long Sands is a wide, gently sloping sandy beach break in York, Maine, offering some of the most accessible surf in the state. Facing northwest toward the open Atlantic fetch, it picks up Northeast and East swells generated by Gulf of Maine storm systems, producing mellow, rolling waves ideal for beginners and longboarders. The beach's broad expanse and consistent sand bottom make it a welcoming entry point into Maine's cold-water surf scene, with fall delivering the best combo of swell energy and offshore winds.
The prime season at Long Sands 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 Long Sands include cold water, rip currents, crowds in summer, strong currents during storms, jellyfish. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Long Sands 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).
