Florida - East Coast
Midday is the call — 2-3+ft waves with 11mph ENE winds and very poor conditions.
Midday is the call — 2-3+ft waves with 11mph ENE winds and very poor conditions.
Best window·Friday 6AM–9AM·3-4ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Matanzas Inlet, Florida - East Coast. 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, 9s period, rated Very Poor. Aim for the middle of the day — 2-3ft on E swell at 9s with 11mph from the ENE. It's a bit wonky first thing but settles down.
Fri, Sep 4: 3–4ft, 6s period, rated Poor. Early morning is your best window — 3-4ft waves on ESE swell at 6s with moderate S wind around 7mph. The ESE wind kicks in by afternoon — 13mph and poor by then.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Poor. Get out early for the best of it — 2-3ft waves on SE swell at 5s and light winds out of the SW. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Sun, Sep 6: 1–2ft, 7s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on SE swell at 4s with gentle WSW breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 11mph from the ESE and dropping conditions to very poor.
Mon, Sep 7: 1–2ft, 9s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on E swell at 9s with light winds out of the NNE. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 12mph from the NE and dropping conditions to very poor.
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 Matanzas Inlet turns Good.
Check Matanzas Inlet from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Matanzas Inlet is where the Matanzas River meets the Atlantic with no jetties to stabilize the constantly shifting sandbars. Both the north and south sides break, with the best peak often in the middle of the inlet mouth. Waves can peel for up to 100 meters when conditions align. Check conditions from the A1A bridge before paddling out — strong tidal currents and heavy shark presence are ever-present.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Matanzas Inlet is 2-3+ft with a 6.7s swell period. Wind is E at 11mph. 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 Matanzas Inlet is 2-3+ft, produced by a 1.9ft ESE wind swell swell at 7s, a 1.6ft E secondary swell at 9s, a 1.3ft NE wind swell swell at 5s. 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 Matanzas Inlet is Friday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 3ft waves, a 5.7s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Matanzas Inlet works best with a NE swell and SW 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 Matanzas Inlet. 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.
Matanzas Inlet is a rivermouth with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Matanzas Inlet is where the Matanzas River meets the Atlantic with no jetties to stabilize the constantly shifting sandbars. Both the north and south sides break, with the best peak often in the middle of the inlet mouth. Waves can peel for up to 100 meters when conditions align. Check conditions from the A1A bridge before paddling out — strong tidal currents and heavy shark presence are ever-present.
The prime season at Matanzas Inlet 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 Matanzas Inlet include sharks, strong tidal currents, shifting sandbars, boat traffic. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Matanzas Inlet 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).
