Massachusetts
A slow one — 0-1ft waves and very poor conditions with 13mph S winds.
A slow one — 0-1ft waves and very poor conditions with 13mph S winds.
Best window·Sunday 2PM–5PM·4-5ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Nantucket, Massachusetts. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 1–2ft, 9s period, rated Very Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly very poor with strong S wind at 13mph.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 6s period, rated Fair - Good. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on E swell at 6s with light winds out of the NNW. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 5s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on N swell at 3s with strong N wind at 16mph. Onshore flow builds through the day to 22mph, bringing conditions down to poor.
Sun, Sep 6: 4–5ft, 8s period, rated Fair. Expect 3-4ft waves early on NE swell at 7s.
Mon, Sep 7: 1–2ft, 10s period, rated Poor - Fair. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on ENE swell at 10s with 16mph NNW 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 Nantucket turns Good.
Check Nantucket from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Nantucket, Massachusetts offers surprisingly rideable surf along its south-facing shores, picking up south and southeast swells generated by Atlantic storms and passing hurricanes. The sandy bottom breaks produce punchy, inconsistent waves that reward patient surfers willing to wait for the right conditions, particularly during fall when powerful nor'easters and late-season hurricanes send quality groundswell through. The island's remote location off the coast of Massachusetts means crowds are rarely an issue, giving surfers plenty of room to explore its various beach breaks in relative solitude.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Nantucket is 0-1ft with a 3.8s swell period. Wind is S at 14mph. 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 Nantucket is 0-1ft, produced by a 2.8ft S wind swell swell at 4s, a 1.2ft E 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 Nantucket is Sunday from 2 PM to 5 PM with 4ft waves, a 8s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Nantucket works best with a S swell and N 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 Nantucket. 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.
Nantucket is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Nantucket, Massachusetts offers surprisingly rideable surf along its south-facing shores, picking up south and southeast swells generated by Atlantic storms and passing hurricanes. The sandy bottom breaks produce punchy, inconsistent waves that reward patient surfers willing to wait for the right conditions, particularly during fall when powerful nor'easters and late-season hurricanes send quality groundswell through. The island's remote location off the coast of Massachusetts means crowds are rarely an issue, giving surfers plenty of room to explore its various beach breaks in relative solitude.
The prime season at Nantucket 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 Nantucket include strong currents, rip currents, cold water, fog, boat traffic, remote location. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Nantucket 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).
